1.II.29C

Partial Differential Equations
Part II, 2008

(i) State the local existence theorem for the first order quasi-linear partial differential equation

j=1naj(x,u)uxj=b(x,u)\sum_{j=1}^{n} a_{j}(x, u) \frac{\partial u}{\partial x_{j}}=b(x, u)

which is to be solved for a real-valued function with data specified on a hypersurface SS. Include a definition of "non-characteristic" in your answer.

(ii) Consider the linear constant-coefficient case (that is, when all the functions a1,,ana_{1}, \ldots, a_{n} are real constants and b(x,u)=cx+db(x, u)=c x+d for some c=(c1,,cn)c=\left(c_{1}, \ldots, c_{n}\right) with c1,,cnc_{1}, \ldots, c_{n} real and dd real) and with the hypersurface SS taken to be the hyperplane xn=0\mathbf{x} \cdot \mathbf{n}=0. Explain carefully the relevance of the non-characteristic condition in obtaining a solution via the method of characteristics.

(iii) Solve the equation

uy+uux=0\frac{\partial u}{\partial y}+u \frac{\partial u}{\partial x}=0

with initial data u(0,y)=yu(0, y)=-y prescribed on x=0x=0, for a real-valued function u(x,y)u(x, y). Describe the domain on which your solution is C1C^{1} and comment on this in relation to the theorem stated in (i).