A generalized diffusion equation: Radial symmetries and comparison theorems (Q791759)

There are many results in this paper. Principally, comparison principles are proved for equations of the form \(\partial_ tu=\partial_ xA(x,t,u,\partial_ xu)\) in which A is strictly increasing in its last argument, and satisfies other mild conditions; and similarity solutions are studied for the equation \(u_ t=\nabla \cdot(k(u)| \nabla u|^{n-1}\nabla u)\). The comparison theorems say more or less that if u and v are solutions such that \(u\leq v\) on the parabolic boundary of their domain G, then \(u\leq v\) in G. Of course, everything here is interpreted in a generalized sense and G is a fairly general domain in \((x-t)\) space. The similarity solutions are radially symmetric; their associated differential equations are studied, and in particular, existence and uniqueness theorems are provided. These results extend those of the authors' previous paper [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 86, 495-510 (1979; Zbl 0428.35046)].