On the initial layer and the existence theorem for the nonlinear Boltzmann equation

The truncated Hilbert expansion including the initial layer terms is considered. This enables us to replace the singulary perturbed Boltzmann equation by a weakly nonlinear equation. In this way the existence of a strong solution of the Boltzmann equation is obtained for initial data close enough to a local Maxwellian. The solution exists in the physically significant time interval on which smooth solutions to the Euler equations exist.