On the Cauchy problem for semilinear σ-evolution equations with time-dependent damping

In this paper, we would like to consider the Cauchy problem for semilinear sigma-evolution equations with time-dependent damping for any sigma >= 1. Motivated strongly by the classification of damping terms in some previous papers, the first main goal of the present work is to make some generalizations from sigma= 1 to sigma > 1 and simultaneously to investigate decay estimates for solutions to the corresponding linear equations in the so-called effective damping cases. For the next main goals, we are going not only to prove the global well-posedness property of small data solutions but also to indicate blow-up results for solutions to the semilinear problem. In this concern, the novelty which should be recognized is that the application of a modified test function combined with a judicious choice of test functions gives blow-up phenomena and upper bound estimates for lifespan in both the subcritical case and the critical case, where sigma is assumed to be any fractional number. Finally, lower bound estimates for lifespan in some spatial dimensions are also established to find out their sharp results.