Applied Mathematics and Optimization, Vol.82, No.1, 279-306, 2020
Local Exact Controllability to the Trajectories of the Cahn-Hilliard Equation
In this paper we prove the local exact controllability to the trajectories of the Cahn-Hilliard equation, which is a nonlinear fourth-order parabolic equation, by means of a control supported on an interior open interval. To prove this result we derive a Carleman estimate that allows us to conclude, thanks to a duality argument, the null controllability of the linearized equation around a given solution. Then, we apply a local inversion theorem to extend the control result to the nonlinear equation.
Keywords:Cahn-Hilliard equation;Parabolic equation;Internal control;Null controllability;Carleman estimates