 Corner-source nonuniqueness for a degenerate parabolic problem

On $x,t>0$, the displayed smooth nonzero function satisfies $w_t=x{w}_{xx}$. For each fixed $t>0$ it tends to zero at $x=0$ and at spatial infinity; for each fixed $x>0$ it tends to zero as $t\downarrow 0$. Thus these three pointwise limits do not determine a unique solution: a multiple of $w$ may be added to any particular solution of the same forced equation.

To verify the PDE, set $\eta =x/t$. Both $w_t$ and $x{w}_{xx}$ equal $\eta (\eta -2)e^{-\eta }/t^2$. The missing control is at the corner: $w(t,t)=1/(et)$ diverges as $t\downarrow 0$. There is no contradiction with the weak parabolic maximum principle, because a supremum on a past strip may be infinite or unattained. A bounded-solution class excludes this example. A standard uniqueness proof there applies the maximum principle to the difference minus $\delta (1+x+t)$ and lets $\delta \downarrow 0$. Conditions at infinity and at initial time must control the relevant strip, not only each fixed-variable limit.