Oleinik type estimates for the Ostrovsky-Hunter eequation

Abstract

The Ostrovsky-Hunter equation provides a model for small-amplitude long waves in a rotating fluid of finite depth. It is a nonlinear evolution equation. In this paper we study the well-posedness for the Cauchy problem associated to this equation within a class of bounded discontinuous solutions. We show that we can replace the Kruzkov-type entropy inequalities by an Oleinik-type estimate and prove uniqueness via a nonlocal adjoint problem. An implication is that a shock wave in an entropy weak solution to the Ostrovsky-Hunter equation is admissible only if it jumps down in value (like the inviscid Burgers equation).