
186 Exact Solutions and Invariant Subspaces
Alternatively, the fundamental solution of the corresponding linear operator
∂
∂t
−
D
5
x
in (4.88) is
b(x, t) = t
−
1
5
g(ξ), with ξ =
x
t
1/5
,
where g is a unique solution of the ODE problem
g
(5)
+
1
5
(gξ)
= 0inIR ,
g = 1. (4.90)
Then g(ξ ) ∼ e
aξ
5/4
as ξ →+∞, with a
4
=−
1
5
4
5
4
, so that the behavior is oscilla-
tory of the type
g(ξ) ∼ ξ
−
3
8
exp
−a
0
ξ
5
4
A sin
a
0
ξ
5
4
+ B cos
a
0
ξ
5
4
,
where a
0
=
4
5
√
2
5
−1/4
.Asξ →−∞, g(ξ) has stronger, not absolutely integrable
on (−∞, 0), oscillations,
g(ξ) ∼|ξ |
−
3
8
A sin
a
0
|ξ|
5
4
+ B cos
a
0
|ξ|
5
4
.
As a rule, in order to compare such oscillatory patterns with those for the quasilin-
ear model, we always formally mean that the left-hand interface for (4.88) is situated
at x =−∞, and not at a finite x, as for the degenerate PDE (4.87). Notice that,
for (4.88), there exists a single fundamental frequency of the linear periodic motion
and, most probably, this remains valid for (4.87) for small n > 0. In other words,
we claim that equations (4.87) and (4.88) belong to the same homotopy class, and,
in the CP, the solutions are then expected to be equally oscillatory to encourage their
maximal regularity at interfaces.
Thus, by such a continuity in n, similar oscillatory properties are expected to be
preserved in the quasilinear model (4.87), at least for sufficiently small n > 0. This
helps to detect the maximal regularity of solutions and define proper solutions of
the CP as those with the increasing regularity as n → 0, i.e., approaching C
∞
(and
analytic) regularity of the rescaled kernel in (4.90) for the linear PDE (4.88).
Oscillatory solutions for n > 0. The TW profiles for (4.87) solve the ODE
−λf =
| f |
n
f
(4)
for y > 0, f (0) = 0. (4.91)
In Section 3.7, equations, such as (4.91), occurred in various aspects of thin film
theory.In order todetectthecharacterof sign changesofsuch solutions,we introduce
the oscillatory components ϕ for (4.91) by setting
f (y) = y
γ
ϕ(s), s = ln y, where γ =
4
n
. (4.92)
Then F =|ϕ|
n
ϕ satisfies the ODE with the operator P
4
[F] given by (3.156),
F
(4)
+ 2(2µ − 3)F
+ (6µ
2
− 18µ + 11)F
+ 2(2µ
3
− 9µ
2
+11µ − 3)F
+ µ(µ − 1)(µ − 2)(µ − 3)F + λ
F
−
n
n+1
F = 0,
(4.93)
where µ =
4(n+1)
n
> 4. According to (4.92), the oscillatory character of TW so-
lutions near interfaces depends on the availability of periodic solutions of the ODE
(4.93). Existence, nonexistence, multiplicity, and stability of periodic solutions of
such higher-order equations are difficult
OPEN questions of general ODE theory.
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