On measure solutions of the Boltzmann equation,part I: Moment production and stability estimates

The spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation with hard potentials is considered for measure valued initial data having finite mass and energy. We prove the existence of weak measure solutions, with and without angular cutoff on the collision kernel; the proof in particular makes use of an approximation argument based on the Mehler transform. Moment production estimates in the usual form and in the exponential form are obtained for these solutions. Finally for the Grad angular cutoff, we also establish uniqueness and strong stability estimate on these solutions.     

Sur l'équation de boltzmann homogène et sa relation avec l'équation de landau-fokker-planck: influence des collisions rasantes

We prove the existence of weak solutions of the spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation without angular cut-off assumption for inverse s^th power molecules with s ≥ 7/3, and general initial data with bounded mass, kinetic energy and entropy. Next, we show the convergence of these solutions to solutions of the Landau-Fokker-Planck equation when the collision kernel concentrates around the value π/2     

GLOBAL CLASSICAL SOLUTIONS OF THE BOLTZMANN EQUATION NEAR MAXWELLIANS

Global classical solutions near Maxwellians are constructed for the Bolt.zma.nn equation in a periodic box with angular soft cutoff, that is, -3<γ< 0. The construction of global solution is based on an energy method used in [9].     

On the Boltzmann equation for long‐range interactions

We study the Boltzmann equation without Grad's angular cutoff assumption. We introduce a suitable renormalized formulation that allows the cross section to be singular in both the angular and the relative velocity variables. Angular singularities occur as soon as one is interested in long‐range interactions, while singularities in the relative velocity variable occur in the study of soft potentials, in particular, Coulomb interaction. Together with several new estimates, this new formulation enables us to prove existence of weak solutions and to give a proof of a conjecture by Lions (appearance of strong compactness) under general, fully realistic assumptions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Propagation of and Maxwellian weighted bounds for derivatives of solutions to the homogeneous elastic Boltzmann equation

We consider the n-dimensional space homogeneous Boltzmann equation for elastic collisions for variable hard potentials with Grad (angular) cutoff. We prove sharp moment inequalities, the propagation of L¹-Maxwellian weighted estimates, and consequently, the propagation L^∞-Maxwellian weighted estimates to all derivatives of the initial value problem associated to the afore mentioned equation. More specifically, we extend to all derivatives of the initial value problem associated to this class of Boltzmann equations corresponding sharp moment (Povzner) inequalities and time propagation of L¹-Maxwellian weighted estimates as originally developed Bobylev [A.V. Bobylev, Moment inequalities for the Boltzmann equation and applications to spatially homogeneous problems, J. Statist. Phys. 88 (1997) 1183–1214] in the case of hard spheres in 3 dimensions. To achieve this goal we implement the program presented in Bobylev–Gamba–Panferov [A.V. Bobylev, I.M. Gamba, V. Panferov, Moment inequalities and high-energy tails for Boltzmann equation with inelastic interactions, J. Statist. Phys. 116 (5–6) (2004) 1651–1682], which includes a full analysis of the moments by means of sharp moment inequalities and the control of L¹-exponential bounds, in the case of stationary states for different inelastic Boltzmann related problems with ‘heating’ sources where high energy tail decay rates depend on the inelasticity coefficient and the type of ‘heating’ source. More recently, this work was extended to variable hard potentials with angular cutoff by Gamba–Panferov–Villani [I.M. Gamba, V. Panferov, C. Villani, Upper Maxwellian bounds for the spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation, ARMA (2008), in press] in the elastic case collision case where the L¹-Maxwellian weighted norm was shown to propagate if initial states have such property. In addition, we also extend to all derivatives the propagation of L^∞-Maxwellian weighted estimates, proven in [I.M. Gamba, V. Panferov, C. Villani, Upper Maxwellian bounds for the spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation, ARMA (2008), in press], to solutions of the initial value problem to the Boltzmann equations for elastic collisions for variable hard potentials with Grad (angular) cutoff.     

Existence of local solutions for the Boltzmann equation without angular cutoff

We consider the spatially inhomogeneous Boltzmann equation without angular cutoff. We prove the existence and uniqueness of local classical solutions to the Cauchy problem, in the function space with Maxwellian type exponential decay with respect to the velocity variable. To cite this article: R. Alexandre et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 347 (2009).     

Well-posedness and weak rotation limit for the Ostrovsky equation

We consider the Cauchy problem of the Ostrovsky equation. We first prove the time local well-posedness in the anisotropic Sobolev space Hs,a with s>−a/2−3/4 and 0?a?−1 by the Fourier restriction norm method. This result include the time local well-posedness in Hs with s>−3/4 for both positive and negative dissipation, namely for both βγ>0 and βγ<0. We next consider the weak rotation limit. We prove that the solution of the Ostrovsky equation converges to the solution of the KdV equation when the rotation parameter γ goes to 0 and the initial data of the KdV equation is in L². To show this result, we prove a bilinear estimate which is uniform with respect to γ.     

Gevrey Hypoellipticity for a Class of Kinetic Equations

In this paper, we study the Gevrey regularity of weak solutions for a class of linear and semi-linear kinetic equations, which are the linear model of spatially inhomogeneous Boltzmann equations without an angular cutoff.     

A nonoscillation theorem for superlinear Emden-Fowler equations with near-critical coefficients

We are interested in the oscillatory behavior of solutions of the Emden-Fowler equation y^″+a(x)|y|^γ−1y=0, γ>1, where a(x) is a positive continuous function on (0,∞). In the special case when the coefficient a(x) is a power of x, i.e. a(x)=xα for some constant α, the value α^∗=−(γ+3)/2 plays a critical role: The equation has both oscillatory and nonoscillatory solutions if α>α^∗, while all solutions are nonoscillatory if α<α^∗. When a(x) is close to the critical exponent, one of the known results is that if a(x)=x−(γ+3)/2log−σ(x), where σ>0, then all solutions are nonoscillatory. In this paper, this result is further extended to include a class of coefficients in which the above condition with log(x) can be replaced by loglog(x), or logloglog(x) and so on.     

Two-body threshold spectral analysis, the critical case

We study in dimension d?2 low-energy spectral and scattering asymptotics for two-body d-dimensional Schrödinger operators with a radially symmetric potential falling off like −γr−2, γ>0. We consider angular momentum sectors, labelled by l=0,1,…, for which γ>²(l+d/2−1). In each such sector the reduced Schrödinger operator has infinitely many negative eigenvalues accumulating at zero. We show that the resolvent has a non-trivial oscillatory behaviour as the spectral parameter approaches zero in cones bounded away from the negative half-axis, and we derive an asymptotic formula for the phase shift.     

Rigorous results in selection of steady needle crystals

This paper concerns the existence of solutions to a steady needle crystal growth problem in a one-sided model. We rigorously prove that for small nonzero anisotropy γ, analytic symmetric needle crystal solutions exist in the limit of surface tension ε² if only if the stokes constant S for a relatively simple nonlinear differential equation is zero. This Stokes constant S depends on the parameter β=2^9/7γε^−8/7 and earlier numerical calculations by a number of investigators have shown this to be zero for a discrete set of values of β. It is also proven that for γ=0, there can be no symmetric needle crystal solution in the considered space.The methodology consists of two steps. First, the original problem is reduced to a weak half-strip problem for any γ in a compact set of [0,1) by relaxation of the symmetry condition. The weak problem is shown to have a unique solution in the function space considered for any γ∈[0,γ_m] for some γ_m>0. When a symmetry is invoked, the weak problem is shown equivalent to the original needle crystal problem. Next, by considering the behavior of the solution in neighborhood of an appropriate complex turning point for γ∈(0,γ_m], we extract an exponentially small term in ε as ε→0⁺ that generally violates the symmetric condition. We prove that the symmetry condition is satisfied for small ε when the parameter β is constrained appropriately.     

Schrödinger operators on regular metric trees with long range potentials: Weak coupling behavior

Consider a regular d-dimensional metric tree Γ with root o. Define the Schrödinger operator −Δ−V, where V is a non-negative, symmetric potential, on Γ, with Neumann boundary conditions at o. Provided that V decays like |x|^−γ at infinity, where 1<γ?d?2, γ≠2, we will determine the weak coupling behavior of the bottom of the spectrum of −Δ−V. In other words, we will describe the asymptotic behavior of infσ(−Δ−αV) as α→0+.     

On the Strong L1 Trend to Equilibrium for the Boltzmann Equation

This paper considers the Boltzmann equation for hard and soft (k > 2) forces having an angular cutoff. The main result is strong L¹ convergence to global Maxwellians when time tends to infinity..     

Smoothness of the Solution of the Spatially Homogeneous Boltzmann Equation without Cutoff

Abstract

For regularized hard potentials cross sections, the solution of the spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation without angular cutoff lies in Schwartz's space 𝒮(? ^N ) for all (strictly positive) time. The proof is presented in full detail for the two-dimensional case, and for a moderate singularity of the cross section. Then we present those parts of the proof for the general case, where the dimension, or the strength of the singularity play an essential role.     

Falkner-Skan equation for flow past a stretching surface with suction or blowing: Analytical solutions

The simultaneous effects of suction and injection on tangential movement of a nonlinear power-law stretching surface governed by laminar boundary layer flow of a viscous and incompressible fluid beneath a non-uniform free with stream pressure gradient is considered. The self-similar flow is governed by Falkner-Skan equation, with transpiration parameter γ, wall slip velocity λ and stretching sheet (or pressure gradient) parameter β. The exact solution for β = −1 and three closed form asymptotic solutions for β large, large suction γ, and λ → 1 have also been presented. Dual solutions are found for β = −1 for each value of the transpiration parameter, including the non-permeable surface, for each prescribed value of the wall slip velocity λ. The large β asymptotic solution also dual with respect to wall slip velocity λ, but do not depend on suction and blowing. The critical values of γ, β and λ are obtained and their significance on the skin friction and velocity profiles is discussed. An approximate solution by integral method for a trial velocity profile is presented and results are compared with the exact solutions.     

Existence of global bounded weak solutions to nonsymmetric systems of Keyfitz-Kranzer type

In this paper, we study the global L^∞ solutions for the Cauchy problem of nonsymmetric system (1.1) of Keyfitz-Kranzer type. When n=1, (1.1) is the Aw-Rascle traffic flow model. First, we introduce a new flux approximation to obtain a lower bound ρε,δ?δ>0 for the parabolic system generated by adding “artificial viscosity” to the Aw-Rascle system. Then using the compensated compactness method with the help of L¹ estimate of wε,δx(⋅,t) we prove the pointwise convergence of the viscosity solutions under the general conditions on the function P(ρ), which includes prototype function , where γ∈(−1,0)∪(0,∞), A is a constant. Second, by means of BV estimates on the Riemann invariants and the compensated compactness method, we prove the global existence of bounded entropy weak solutions for the Cauchy problem of general nonsymmetric systems (1.1).     

Regularity, monotonicity and symmetry of positive solutions of m-Laplace equations

We consider the Dirichlet problem for positive solutions of the equation −Δ_m(u)=f(u) in a bounded smooth domain Ω, with f locally Lipschitz continuous, and prove some regularity results for weak solutions. In particular when f(s)>0 for s>0 we prove summability properties of , and Sobolev's and Poincaré type inequalities in weighted Sobolev spaces with weight |Du|^m−2. The point of view of considering |Du|^m−2 as a weight is particularly useful when studying qualitative properties of a fixed solution. In particular, exploiting these new regularity results we can prove a weak comparison principle for the solutions and, using the well known Alexandrov-Serrin moving plane method, we then prove a general monotonicity (and symmetry) theorem for positive solutions u of the Dirichlet problem in bounded (and symmetric in one direction) domains when f(s)>0 for s>0 and m>2. Previously, results of this type in general bounded (and symmetric) domains had been proved only in the case 1<m<2.     

The extent of the maximum likelihood estimator for the extreme value index

In extreme value analysis, staring from Smith (1987) [1], the maximum likelihood procedure is applied in estimating the shape parameter of tails—the extreme value index γ. For its theoretical properties, Zhou (2009) [12] proved that the maximum likelihood estimator eventually exists and is consistent for γ>−1 under the first order condition. The combination of Zhou (2009) [12] and Drees et al (2004) [11] provides the asymptotic normality under the second order condition for γ>−1/2. This paper proves the asymptotic normality for −1<γ≤−1/2 and the non-consistency for γ<−1. These results close the discussion on the theoretical properties of the maximum likelihood estimator.     

Une définition des solutions renormalisées pour l'équation de Boltzmann sans troncature angulaire

We propose a notion of renormalized solutions for 3D Boltzmann equation, and without assuming Grad's angular cutoff. Actually, we show that P.-L. Lions's recent hypothesis about velocity averages compacity of solutions is satisfied in this framework.     

A note on complete bounded trajectories and attractors for compressible self-gravitating fluids

In this paper we prove the boundedness for energy of weak solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations for compressible self-gravitating fluids in time in bounded domains with arbitrary forces and the adiabatic constant γ∈(3/2,5/3]. Thus the results on the existence of complete bounded trajectories and attractors for compressible self-gravitating fluids can be generalized up to γ>3/2.