Fast reaction limit and forward-backward diffusion: a Radon-Nikodym approach

Abstract

We consider two singular limits: fast reaction limit with nonmonotone nonlinearity and regularization of forward-backward diffusion equation. It was proved by Plotnikov that for cubic-type (nondegenerate) nonlinearities, the limit oscillates between at most three states. In this paper we make his argument more optimal and we sharpen the previous result: we use Radon-Nikodym theorem to obtain a pointwise identity characterizing the Young measure. As a consequence, we establish a simpler condition which implies Plotnikov result for piecewise affine functions. We also prove that the result is true if the Young measure is not supported in the so-called unstable zone, the fact observed in numerical simulations.