We study the relativistic heat equation in one space dimension. We prove a local regularity result when the initial datum is locally Lipschitz in its support. We propose a numerical scheme that captures the known features of the solutions and allows for analysing further properties of their qualitative behaviour.

J.A.C. acknowledges partial support by MINECO project, reference MTM2011-27739-C04-02, by GRC 2009 SGR 345 by the Generalitat de Catalunya, and by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant number EP/K008404/1. J.A.C. also acknowledges support from the Royal Society through a Wolfson Research Merit Award. V.C. acknowledges partial support by MINECO project, reference MTM2009-08171, by GRC reference 2009 SGR 773, and by “ICREA Academia” prize for excellence in research funded both by the Generalitat de Catalunya. S.M. acknowledges partial support by MINECO project, reference MTM2012-31103.