Self-similar solutions of semilinear wave equation with variable speed of propagation

We investigate the issue of existence of the self-similar solutions of the generalized Tricomi equation in the half-space where the equation is hyperbolic. We look for the self-similar solutions via the Cauchy problem. An integral transformation suggested in [K. Yagdjian, A note on the fundamental solution for the Tricomi-type equation in the hyperbolic domain, J. Differential Equations 206 (2004) 227–252] is used to represent solutions of the Cauchy problem for the linear Tricomi-type equation in terms of fundamental solutions of the classical wave equation. This representation allows us to prove decay estimates for the linear Tricomi-type equation with a source term. Obtained in [K. Yagdjian, The self-similar solutions of the Tricomi-type equations, Z. Angew. Math. Phys., in press, doi:10.1007/s00033-006-5099-2] estimates for the self-similar solutions of the linear Tricomi-type equation are the key tools to prove existence of the self-similar solutions. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.