Existence and Uniqueness of Weak Solutions for Precipitation Fronts: A Novel Hyperbolic Free Boundary Problem in Several Space Variables

The determination of the large-scale boundaries between moist and dry regions is an important problem in contemporary meteorology. These phenomena have been addressed recently in a simplified tropical climate model through a novel hyperbolic free boundary formulation yielding three families (drying, slow moistening, and fast moistening) of precipitation fronts. The last two wave types violate Lax's shock inequalities yet are robustly realized. This formal hyperbolic free boundary problem is given here a rigorous mathematical basis by establishing the existence and uniqueness of suitable weak solutions arising in the zero relaxation limit. A new L(2)-contraction estimate is also established at positive relaxation values. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.