Lubrication Approximation for Thin Viscous Films: Asymptotic Behavior of Nonnegative Solutions

We use standard regularized equations and adapted entropy functionals to prove exponential asymptotic decay in the H 1 norm for nonnegative weak solutions of fourth-order nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations of lubrication approximation for thin viscous film type. The weak solutions considered arise as limits of solutions for the regularized problems. Relaxed problems, with second-order nonlinear terms of porous media type are also successfully treated by the same means. The problems investigated here are one-dimensional in space, with power-law nonlinearities. Our approach is direct and natural, as it is adapted to deal with the more complex nonlinear terms occurring in the regularized, approximating problems.