We consider the Cauchy problem
$
\quad u_t = \Delta u+|u|^{p-1}u, \quad
x \in \mathbb R^N,
t>0, \\
\quad u(x,0) =
u_0(x),
\quad
x \in \mathbb R^N,
$
where $u_0 \in C_0(\mathbb R^N)$, the space of all continuous
functions
on $\mathbb R^N$
that decay to zero at infinity, and $p$ is supercritical in the
sense
that $N\ge 11$ and $p\ge ((N-2)^2-4N+8\sqrt{N-1})/{(N-2)(N-10)}$.
We first examine the domain of attraction of steady
states
(and
also of general solutions) in a class of admissible functions. In
particular,
we give a sharp condition on the initial function $u_0$ so that the
solution
of the above problem converges to a given steady state. Then we
consider
the asymptotic behavior of global solutions bounded above and below
by
classical steady states (such solutions have compact
trajectories
in $ C_0(\mathbb R^N)$,
under the supremum norm). Our main result reveals an
interesting
possibility:
the solution may approach a continuum of steady states, not
settling
down
to any particular one of them. Finally, we prove the existence of
global
unbounded
solutions, a phenomenon that does not occur for Sobolev-subcritical
exponents.