On a class of nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations

Abstract

The paper is a nice brief review of fundamental results about the initial value problem for one-dimensional nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations of "porous media'' type: ut=[φ(ux)]x, x∈R, t>0, with φ continuous, nondecreasing, φ(0)=0, |φ(s)|→∞ as |s|→∞. The results concern existence, uniqueness and regularity of solutions with initial data u0 in L2 (u0 not necessarily of one sign). When u0≥0 has compact support, regularity and growth results of the interfaces demarcating the compact support of the solution are also described.