Finite dimensionality and regularity of attractors for a 2-D semilinear wave equation with nonlinear dissipation

We consider a semilinear wave equation, defined on a two-dimensional bounded domain Ω, with a nonlinear dissipation. Our main result is that the flow generated by the model is attracted by a finite dimensional global attractor. In addition, this attractor has additional regularity properties that depend on regularity properties of nonlinear functions in the equation. To our knowledge this is a first result of this type in the context of higher dimensional wave equations.  2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved