Metrics for probability distributions and the trend to equilibrium for solutions of the Boltzmann equation

This paper deals with the trend to equilibrium of solutions to the spacehomogeneous Boltzmann equation for Maxwellian molecules with angular cutoff as well as with infinite-range forces. The solutions are considered as densities of probability distributions. The Tanaka functional is a metric for the space of probability distributions, which has previously been used in connection with the Boltzmann equation. Our main result is that, if the initial distribution possesses moments of order 2+, then the convergence to equilibrium in his metric is exponential in time. In the proof, we study the relation between several metrics for spaces of probability distributions, and relate this to the Boltzmann equation, by proving that the Fourier-transformed solutions are at least as regular as the Fourier transform of the initial data. This is also used to prove that even if the initial data only possess a second moment, then _v>R f(v, t) v² dv0 asR, and this convergence is uniform in time.     

Asymptotic behaviour of the Boltzmann equation with infinite range forces

We have previously obtained existence results for the space-homogeneous, non-linear Boltzmann equation for a class of encounters with infinite range, including inversek ^th power molecules withk>3. In the present paper those solutions are proved to converge in weakL ¹-sense fork5 to Maxwellian distributions whent. Also the higher moments converge to those of the relevant Maxwellian. The method of proof relies on non-standard techniques.     

Feynman integral and complex classical trajectories

Let _t be an analytic solution of the Schrödinger equation with the initial condition . Let _t be the solution of the Schrödinger equation with the initial condition =, where is an analytic function. When 0, then _t (x) _t (x)¹ ( _t (x)), where _t (x) trajectory starting from x. We relate this result to Feynman's sum over trajectories and complex stochastic differential equations.     

Compressible Flow: Turbulence at the Surface

In a study of compressible flow, we have tracked the motion of particles that float on a turbulent body of water. The second moment of longitudinal velocity differences scales as in incompressible flow. However the separation R ²(t) of particle pairs does not vary in time according to the Richardson–Kolmogorov prediction R ²(t)t ³. As expected, the self diffusion d ²(t) shows a crossover between ballistic motion d ²(t)t ² at small t and uncorrelated motion d ²(t)t in the longtime limit.     

On the asymptotic behavior of the solutions of the Caldirola-Kanai equation

We study in this Letter the asymptotic behavior, as t+, of the solutions of the one-dimensional Caldirola-Kanai equation for a large class of potentials satisfying the condition V(x)+ as |x|. We show, first of all, that if I is a closed interval containing no critical points of V, then the probability P _t (t) of finding the particle inside I tends to zero as t+. On the other hand, when I contains critical points of V in its interior, we prove that P _t (t) does not oscillate indefinitely, but tends to a limit as t+. In particular, when the potential has only isolated critical points x ₁, ..., x _N our results imply that the probability density of the particle tends to in the sense of distributions.Supported by Fulbright-MEC grant 85-07391.     

The nonlinear Cahn-Hilliard equation: Transition from spinodal decomposition to nucleation behavior

The behavior of the nonlinear Cahn-Hilliard equation for asymmetric systems,c _t =²(±c+Bc ²+c ³-² c) within the unstable subspinodal region is explored. Energy considerations and amplitude equation methods are employed. Evidence is given for a transition from periodically structuredspinodal behavior to nucleation behavior somewhere within the traditional spinodal. A mechanism for describing a time-dependent lengthening of the dominant wavelength is explored.     

Wave operators and the incompressible limit of the compressible Euler equation

In an exterior domain inR ⁿ (n2), the solution of the compressible Euler equation is shown to converge to that of the incompressible Euler equation when the Mach number tends to 0. The initial layer appears.     

Solutions of the Boltzmann equation for Maxwell interactions and singular angle-dependent cross sections

We consider the spatially homogeneous and isotropic Boltzmann distribution function in the case of nonisotropic, binary cross sections inversely proportional to the relative speed of the colliding particles. Further, we allow the angle dependence of the differential cross section() to be singular in the forward direction ( 0). We assume (), d < which includes the case of a Maxwellian interaction. We explicitly show how to construct the solutions of the Boltzmann equation, study their properties, and obtain for a class of solutions sufficient conditions for their existence at any positive time value. We extend the formalism to the more general case of arbitrary dimensionality. We observe an effect noticed previously by Krook, Wu, and Tjon in other models of the Boltzmann equations-namely, for special initial distributions, we find solutions which exhibit an excess of higher energy particles at later time.     

Novel perturbation expansion for the Langevin equation

We discuss the randomly driven systemdx/dt= -W(x) +f(t), wheref(t) is a Gaussian random function or stirring force withf(t)f(t)=2(t–t), andW(x) is of the formgx ¹⁺². The parameter is a measure of the nonlinearity of the equation. We show how to obtain the correlation functionsx(t)f(t)···x(t( n)) _f as a power series in. We obtain three terms in the expansion and show how to use Padé approximants to analytically continue the answer in the variable. By using scaling relations, we show how to get a uniform approximation to the equal-time correlation functions valid for allg and.     

Kinetic equation in the kinetic region of the dilute and nonuniform electron plasma

Mori's scaling method is used to derive the kinetic equation for a dilute, nonuniform electron plasma in the kinetic region where the space-time cutoff (b, t _c) satisfies _Dbl _f , _D t _{c f} , with _D the Debye length, _D ^–1= _p the plasma frequency, andl _f and _f the mean free path and time, respectively. The kinetic equation takes account of the nonuniformity of the order ofl _f and _D for the single-and the two-particle distribution function, respectively. Thus the Vlasov term associated with the two-particle distribution function is retained. This kinetic equation is deduced from the kinetic equation in the coherent region obtained by Morita, Mori, and Tokuyama, where the space-time cutoff of the coherent region satisfies _Dbr ₀, _Dt _{c 0}, withr ₀ the Landau length and ₀ the corresponding time scale.     

A new class of long-tailed pausing time densities for the CTRW

We present some asymptotic results for the family of pausing time densities having the asymptotic (t) property(t) [t ln¹⁺(t/T)]^–1. In particular, we show that for this class of pausing time densities the mean-squared displacement r ²(t) is asymptotically proportional to ln(t/T), and the asymptotic distribution of the displacement has a negative exponential form.     

Classical solution of the nonlinear Boltzmann equation in allR 3: Asymptotic behavior of solutions

Proof is given of the existence of a classical solution to the nonlinear Boltzmann equation in allR ³. The solution, which is global in time, exists if the initial data go to zero fast enough at infinity and the mean free path is sufficiently large. The solution is smooth in the space variable if the initial value is smooth. The asymptotic behavior of solutions is also given. It is shown that ast the solution to the Boltzmann equation can be approximated by the solution to the free motion problem.     

Convergence of Chorin-Marsden product formula in the half-plane

Consider a viscous incompressible fluid in the half-plane and letu _t be a solution of the Navier-Stokes equation. In this paper we prove that the product formula (E _t/n G _t/n u) ⁿ u ₀, whereE _t is the Euler flow,G _t is the heat flow and is a suitable operator describing the vorticity production due to the boundary, converges uniformly tou _t in the limitn .Research supported by Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione, CNR contract No. 84.00016.02 and GNFM     

Two results concerning asymptotic behavior of solutions of the Burgers equation with force

We consider the Burgers equation with an external force. For the case of the force periodic in space and time we prove the existence of a solution periodic in space and time which is the limit of a wide class of solutions ast . If the force is the product of a periodic function ofx and white noise in time, we prove the existence of an invariant distribution concentrated on the space of space-periodic functions which is the limit of a wide class of distributions ast .     

Scaling solutions of Smoluchowski's coagulation equation

We investigate the structure of scaling solutions of Smoluchowski's coagulation equation, of the formc _k (t)s(t)^– (k/s(t)), wherec _k (t) is the concentration of clusters of sizek at timet,s(t) is the average cluster size, and(x) is a scaling function. For the rate constantK(i, j) in Smoluchowski's equation, we make the very general assumption thatK(i, j) is a homogeneous function of the cluster sizesi andj:K(i,j)=a ^– K(ai,aj) for alla>0, but we restrict ourselves to kernels satisfyingK(i, j)/j0 asj. We show that gelation occurs if>1, and does not occur if1. For all gelling and nongelling models, we calculate the time dependence ofs(t), and we derive an equation for(x). We present a detailed analysis of the behavior of(x) at large and small values ofx. For all models, we find exponential large-x behavior: (x)A x ^– e ^–x asx and, for different kernelsK(i, j), algebraic or exponential small-x behavior: (x)Bx ^– or (x)=exp(–Cx ^–|| + ...) asx0.     

A class of nonlinear relativistic partial differential equations in elementary particle theory

In mathematical approaches to elementary particle theory, the equation [² - ²/t²]=m² ;+g ³ has been of interest [1,2]; it describes a quartically self-coupled neutral scalar meson field. This paper applies the decomposition method [3-6] to obtain accurate non-perturbative timedevelopment of the field for this equation, or variations involving other nonlinear interactions, without the use of cutoff functions or truncations.     

A discrete spectrum of solutions of the wave equation with strong cubic nonlinearity

The nonlinear wave equation, _tt –+³=0, has many solutions that are periodic in time and localized in space, all with infinte energies. The search for spherically symmetric solutions that are well represented by the simple approximation, (r, t)A(r) sin t, leads to a discrete spectrum of solutions{ _N (r, t; )}. The solutions are nonlinear wavepackets, and they can be regarded as particles. The asymptotic theory () of the motion of the guiding center of theNth wavepacket, in the presence of a specified potential, is characterized by an infinite mechanical mass and an infinte interaction mass, and they are compatible. The rest mass in the classical relativistic mechanics of guiding centers ism ₀ c ²= _N ; i.e. the spectrum { _N } determines a spectrum of Planck's constants.On leave (1972–73) Université de Paris VI, Département de Mécanique, 75 Paris 5^e, France.     

Perturbations of flows on Banach spaces and operator algebras

For automorphism groups of operator algebras we show how properties of the difference _t – ' _t are reflected in relations between the generators , . Indeed for a von Neumann algebraM with separable predual we show that if _t – '_t 0.28 for smallt, then = 0(+)°^-1 where is an inner automorphism ofM and is a bounded derivation ofM. If the difference _t – ' _t =O(t) ast ; 0, then = + and if _t – ' _t 0.28 for allt then =. We prove analogous results for unitary groups on a Hilbert space andC ₀,C ₀ ^* groups on a Banach space.This paper subsumes an earlier work of the same title which appeared as a report from Z.I.F. der Universität BielefeldWith partial support of the U.S. National Science Foundation     

Bohr's discussion of the fourth uncertainty relation revisited

Bohr's 1930 derivation of the uncertainty relation c ² m th bears a close relationship to Einstein's 1913 derivation of the gravitational redshift via the equivalence principle. A rewording of Bohr's argument is presented here, not taking the last step of acceleration as equivalent to a uniform gravity field, thus yielding a derivation of the formula c ² m th, avoiding Treder's 1971 objection.     

Measure solutions of the steady Boltzmann equation in a slab

It is shown that the steady Boltzmann equation in a slab [0,a] has solutionsx _x such that the ingoing boundary measures _0{>0} and _{<0} can be prescribed a priori. The collision kernel is truncated such that particles with smallx-component of the velocity have a reduced collision rate.