Convexity and uniqueness in a free boundary problem arising in combustion theory (Q698296)

Summary: We consider solutions to a free boundary problem for the heat equation, describing the propagation of flames. Suppose there is a bounded domain \(\Omega\subset Q_T=\mathbb{R}^n \times (0,T)\) for some \(T>0\) and a function \(u>0\) in \(\Omega\) such that \[ u_t=\Delta u\text{ in }\Omega,\quad u=0 \text{ and }|\nabla u|=1 \text{ on }\Gamma:= \partial\Omega\cap Q_T, \quad u(\cdot,0)= u_0\text{ on }\overline \Omega_0, \] where \(\Omega_0\) is a given domain in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) and \(u_0\) is a positive and continuous function in \(\Omega_0\), vanishing on \(\partial\Omega_0\). If \(\Omega_0\) is convex and \(u_0\) is concave in \(\Omega_0\), then we show that \((u,\Omega)\) is unique and the time sections \(\Omega_t\) are convex for every \(t\in(0,T)\), provided the free boundary \(\Gamma\) is locally the graph of a Lipschitz function and the fixed gradient condition is understood in the classical sense.