On a diffusive version of the Lifschitz-Slyozov-Wagner equation (Q620512)

Starting from the Becker-Döring equations \(dc_\ell/dt=J_{\ell-1}-J_\ell\) for \(\ell\geq 2\) and \(\sum_{\ell=1}^\infty \ell c_\ell(t)=\rho>0\) with \(J_\ell=a_\ell c_1 c_\ell - b_{\ell+1} c_{\ell+1}\), \(a_\ell=a_1 \ell^{1/3}\), \(a_1>0\), \(b_\ell = a_\ell (z_s+q \ell^{-1/3})\), \(z_s>0\), \(q>0\), a diffusive version of the classical Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) equation is derived and reads \[ \partial_t c(x,t) = \partial_x^2 \left[ \varepsilon \left( 1 + \frac{x}{\varepsilon} \right)^{1/3} c(x,t) \right] + \partial_x \left[ \left( 1-\left( \frac{x}{L(t)} \right)^{1/3} \right) c(x,t) \right] \] for \(x>0\) and \(t>0\), supplemented with the boundary condition \(c(0,t)=0\) for \(t\geq 0\) and initial condition \(c_0\in L^1(0,\infty;(1+x)dx)\), \(c_0\geq 0\). The time dependent function \(L\) is determined by imposing the conservation of matter \[ \int_0^\infty x c(x,t) dx = \int_0^\infty x c_0(x) \,dx , \quad t\geq 0 . \] For \(\varepsilon>0\), the existence and uniqueness of a solution \((c_\varepsilon, L_\varepsilon)\) are established and \((c_\varepsilon, L_\varepsilon)\) is shown to converge as \(\varepsilon\to 0\) to a solution \((c,L)\) of the classical (first-order) LSW equation. Convergence of the coarsening rate \(d\|c_\varepsilon\|_1/dt\) as \(\varepsilon\to 0\) is also proved. An upper bound on the coarsening rate which does not depend on \(\varepsilon>0\) is obtained by the technique developed in [\textit{R. V. Kohn} and \textit{F. Otto}, Commun. Math. Phys. 229, No.~3, 375--395 (2002; Zbl 1004.82011)]. In addition, an alternative proof of the well-posedness of the Becker-Döring equations is given.