Central limit theorem for the solution of the Kac equation (Q2378633): Difference between revisions

By departing from the classic McKean's paper on the speed of approach to equilibrium in the Kac model of Maxwellian gas [Arch. Rational Mech. Anal. 21, 343--382 (1966)] and \textit{E. Carlen, M. C. Carvalho} and \textit{E. Gabetta}'s discussion of an error in the Wild expansion [Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 53, No. 3, 370--397 (2000; Zbl 1028.82017)], the present authors investigate necessary and sufficient conditions for the central limit theorem for Maxwellian molecules to hold. It is proved that a necessary condition is that the initial energy is finite. Moreover, a precise quantitative evaluation of the rate of convergence to equilibrium is established. The major technical input is an observation that a solution of the Kac model admits an interpretation of the pertinent probability distribution as that of a sum of a random number of random variables. This fact allows to study convergence to equilibrium by means of a classical statements involved in the central limit theorem.