On the asymptotic profile of solutions to semilinear damped wave equations with critical nonlinearities

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the Cauchy problem for a semilinear damped wave equation with the nonlinear term $|u|^{1+2/n} \mu(|u|)$, where $\mu$ is a modulus of continuity. In recent papers by Ebert,Girardi,Reissig (Math. Ann. 378 (2020)) and Girardi (Nonlinear Differ. Equ. Appl. 32 (2025)), the authors obtained a sharp critical condition on $\mu$ in low space dimensions $n=1,2,3$, which determines the threshold between global (in time) existence of small data solutions and blow-up of solutions in finite time. Our new results are to prove that this condition remains valid in dimension $n=4$, together with the asymptotic profiles of global solutions. From this, we see that the behavior of the solution at $t \to \infty$ is identified by the Gauss kernel. Finally, a sharp lifespan estimate for local solutions is also derived in the case when blow-up occurs.