Shadows of infinities (Q740040)

Let \(T>0\) and let \(\Omega\) be an open connected set in \(\mathbb{R}^n\). The subject of this paper is the \(p\)-superparabolic functions defined on the cylinder \(\Omega_T:=\Omega\times [0,T]\), with \(p>2\). A function \(v:\Omega_T\rightarrow ]-\infty,+\infty]\) is said \(p\)-superparabolic on \(\Omega_T\) if it is lower semicontinuous, finite on a dense subset, and such that for each cylinder \(D\times (t_1,t_2)\subset \subset \Omega_T\), the inequality \(h\leq v\) on the parabolic boundary of \(D\times (t_1,t_2)\) implies the inequality \(h\leq v\) on the whole \(D\times (t_1,t_2)\), for each continuous weak solution \(h:\overline{D\times (t_1,t_2)}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^n\) of the evolutionary \(p\)-Laplace equation \(\displaystyle{\frac{\partial u}{\partial t}=\nabla(|\nabla u|^{p-2}\nabla u)}\) on \(D\times (t_1,t_2)\). The authors consider the following two classes of functions: the class \(\mathfrak{B}\) of \(p\)-superparabolic functions which are locally \((p-1+\frac{p}{n}-\varepsilon)\)-summable on \(\Omega_T\), for each \(\varepsilon>0\); the class \(\mathfrak{M}\) of \(p\)-superparabolic functions which are not locally \((p-2+\varepsilon)\)-summable on \(\Omega_T\), for each \(\varepsilon>0\). Several characterizations of the classes \(\mathfrak{B},\mathfrak{M}\) ( some of them involving the set \(\Xi^\downarrow:=\{(x_0,t_0):\lim_{t\rightarrow t_0^+}v(x_0,t)=+\infty\}\) of points of infinity) are established. An interesting consequence of these characterizations is that every \(p\)-superparabolic function (with \(p>2\)) must belong to one of the classes \(\mathfrak{B},\mathfrak{M}\).