Existence Theorems for a Multidimensional Crystal Surface Model

Abstract

In this paper we study the existence assertion of the initial boundary value problem for the equation $\frac{\partial u}{\partial t} = \Delta e^{-\Delta u}$. This problem arises in the mathematical description of the evolution of crystal surfaces. Our investigations reveal that the exponent in the equation can have a singular part in the sense of the Lebesgue decomposition theorem, and the exponential nonlinearity somehow “cancels” it out. The net result is that we obtain a solution $u$ that satisfies the equation and the initial boundary conditions in the almost everywhere (a.e.) sense.