Non‐homogeneous Navier–Stokes systems with order‐parameter‐dependent stresses

We consider the Navier–Stokes system with variable density and variable viscosity coupled to a transport equation for an order‐parameter c. Moreover, an extra stress depending on c and ?c, which describes surface tension like effects, is included in the Navier–Stokes system. Such a system arises, e.g. for certain models of granular flows and as a diffuse interface model for a two‐phase flow of viscous incompressible fluids. The so‐called density‐dependent Navier–Stokes system is also a special case of our system. We prove short‐time existence of strong solution in L^q‐Sobolev spaces with q>d. We consider the case of a bounded domain and an asymptotically flat layer with a combination of a Dirichlet boundary condition and a free surface boundary condition. The result is based on a maximal regularity result for the linearized system. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.