Extended weak maximum principles for parabolic partial differential inequalities on unbounded domains

Abstract

In this paper, we establish extended maximum principles for solutions to linear parabolic partial differential inequalities on unbounded domains, where the solutions satisfy a variety of growth/decay conditions on the unbounded domain. We establish a conditional maximum principle, which states that a solution u to a linear parabolic partial differential inequality satisfies a maximum principle whenever a suitable weight function can be exhibited. Our extended maximum principles are then established by exhibiting suitable weight functions and applying the conditional maximum principle. In addition, we include several specific examples, to highlight the importance of certain generic conditions, which are required in the statements of maximum principles of this type. Furthermore, we demonstrate how to obtain associated comparison theorems from our extended maximum principles. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.