Uniform null-controllability for the one-dimensional heat equation with rapidly oscillating periodic density (Q697661)

The authors deal with a one-dimensional heat equation, with rapidly oscillating periodic density, with period \(\varepsilon\), in a bounded interval with Dirichlet boundary conditions. The authors prove that, when \(\varepsilon \searrow 0\) and the density weakly converges to its average, the boundary controls converge to a control of the limit heat equation with constant coefficients. Three steps based on a control strategy permit the proof. Firstly the low frequencies are controlled, then the free evolutions of the system are considered and, finally, the whole solutions are controlled to zero. The theory of real exponentials are used to analyze the low frequencies and the Carleman inequalities permit to control the whole solution. The result is in contrast with the divergent behavior of the null controls for the wave equation with rapidly oscillating coefficients.