Generalized solutions to partial differential equations of evolution type

This paper deals with a new solution concept for partial differential equations in algebras of generalized functions. Introducing regularized derivatives for generalized functions, we show that the Cauchy problem is wellposed backward and forward in time for every system of linear partial differential equations of evolution type in this sense. We obtain existence and uniqueness of generalized solutions in situations where there is no distributional solution or where even smooth solutions are nonunique. In the case of symmetric hyperbolic systems, the generalized solution has the classical weak solution as 'macroscopic aspect'. Two extensions to nonlinear systems are given: global solutions to quasilinear evolution equations with bounded nonlinearities and local solutions to quasilinear symmetric hyperbolic systems.