Lie symmetries of nonlinear boundary value problems

Nonlinear boundary value problems (BVPs) by means of the classical Lie symmetry method are studied. A new definition of Lie invariance for BVPs is proposed by the generalization of existing those on much wider class of BVPs. A class of two-dimensional nonlinear boundary value problems, modeling the process of melting and evaporation of metals, is studied in details. Using the definition proposed, all possible Lie symmetries and the relevant reductions (with physical meaning) to BVPs for ordinary differential equations are constructed. An example how to construct exact solution of the problem with correctly-specified coefficients is presented and compared with the results of numerical simulations published earlier.

► A new definition of invariance in the Lie sense for boundary value problems (BVPs) is formulated.
► The wide class of two-dimensional nonlinear BVPs modeling the process of melting and evaporation of metals is studied.
► All possible Lie symmetries and the relevant reductions to BVPs for ordinary differential equations are constructed.
► The example how to construct exact solution of the nonlinear problem in question is presented.