Optimal control theory and advanced optimality conditions for a diffuse interface model of tumor growth

Abstract: In this paper, we study a distributed optimal control problem for a diffuse interface model for tumor growth. The model consists of a Cahn-Hilliard type equation for the phase field variable coupled to a reaction diffusion equation for the nutrient and a Brinkman type equation for the velocity. The system is equipped with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions for the tumor variable, the chemical potential and the nutrient as well as a "no-friction" boundary condition for the velocity. The control acts as a medication by cytotoxic drugs and enters the phase field equation. The cost functional is of standard tracking type and is designed to track the phase field variable during the evolution and at some fixed final time. We prove that the model satisfies the basics for calculus of variations and we establish first-order and second-order conditions for local optimality. Moreover, we present a globality condition for critical controls and we show that the optimal control is unique on small time intervals.