A uniqueness result for an overdetermined problem in nonlinear parabolic potential theory (Q702017)

The paper deals with the uniqueness question for an inverse problem arising in the thermal potential theory and having applications in shape-recognition in underground water/oil recovery subject to shape-change during time intervals. Precisely, let \(\Omega_j,\) \(j=1,2,\) be two unknown domains in \(\mathbb R^{n+1}_+=\mathbb R^n\times(0,\infty)\) and set \(\Omega_j(\tau)=\Omega_j\cap\{t=\tau\}.\) Suppose \(\Omega_j\) is non-decreasing in \(t,\) \(\overline\Omega_j(\tau)\) is bounded for all \(\tau\geq0\) and \(\Omega_1(\tau)\cap \Omega_2(\tau)\) is convex for each \(\tau>0.\) Let \(\mu\) be a bounded function of compact support and let \(u_j\in C(0,T;L^2(\mathbb R^{n+1}))\cap L^p(0,T;W^{1,p}(\mathbb R^{n+1})),\) \(1<p<\infty,\) \(j=1,2,\) solve \[ \text{div\,}(| \nabla u_j| ^{p-2}\nabla u_j)-D_tu_j=\chi_{\Omega_j}-\mu(x,t)\quad \text{in } \mathbb R^{n+1}_+, \] \[ u_j=0 \quad\text{in } \mathbb R^{n+1}_+\setminus \Omega_j,\qquad u_j(x,0)=f(x), \qquad \text{supp\,}\mu\subset \overline \Omega_j. \] Assuming, in addition, that \[ \sup_{Q^-_r(x^0,t^0)} u_j >0\quad \forall\;(x^0,t^0)\in\partial\Omega_j, \] with \(Q^-_r(x^0,t^0)=\{x\in \mathbb R^n:| x-x^0| <r\}\times(-r+t^0,t^0),\) the authors prove \(\Omega_1\equiv\Omega_2\) and \(u_1=u_2.\)