Homogeneous and non-homogeneous boundary value problems for first order linear hyperbolic systems arising in fluid-mechanics (Part I)

We prove t h e existence and the uniqueness of differentiable and strong solutions for aclass of non-homogeneous boundary value problems for first order linear hyperbolic systems arising from the dynamics of compressible non-viscous fluids . The method provides.the existence of differentiable solutions without resorting to strong or weak solutions. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of solutions for the non-homogeneous problem is proved. I t consists of an explicitrelationship between the boundary values of u and those of the data f . Strong solutions are obtained without this supplementary assumption. See Theorems 3.1, 4.1, 4 . 2 , 4.3 and Corollary 4.4; see also Remarks 2.1 and 2.4. In this paper we consider equation (3.1) below. In the forthcoming part II we prove similar results for the corresponding evolution problem.