This paper considers the initial-boundary value problem for the nonlinear diffusion equation with the perturbation term $$u_t+(-\Delta +1)\beta \left(u\right)+G\left(u\right)=g\text{in}\Omega \times (0,T)$$ in an unbounded domain $\Omega \subset {ℝ}^N$ with smooth bounded boundary, where $N\in \mathbb{N}$, $T>0$, $\beta$, is a single-valued maximal monotone function on $ℝ$, e.g., $$\beta \left(r\right)={\left|r\right|}^{q-1}r(q>0,q\ne 1)$$ and $G$ is a function on $ℝ$ which can be regarded as a Lipschitz continuous operator from ${\left(H^1\left(\Omega \right)\right)}^{*}$ to ${\left(H^1\left(\Omega \right)\right)}^{*}$. The present work establishes existence and estimates for the above problem.

Numerical schemes are presented for a class of fourth order diffusion problems. These problems arise in lubrication theory for thin films of viscous fluids on surfaces. The equations being in general fourth order degenerate parabolic, additional singular terms of second order may occur to model effects of gravity, molecular interactions or thermocapillarity. Furthermore, we incorporate nonlinear surface tension terms. Finally, in the case of a thin film flow driven by a surface active agent (surfactant),...