Navier-Stokes equation with hereditary viscosity (Q1404180)

This paper is devoted to the study of local existence and uniqueness for a generalization of the Navier-Stokes equations. This generalization is obtained by restricting to first order linear terms the general representation of the stress tensor for simple materials in terms of multiple integrals over polynomials in the histories of the strain tensor. The existence and uniqueness results are obtained by using the theory of \(m\)-accretive semigroups and a suitable decomposition (quantization) of the nonlinear term. This result is not a simple generalization of the corresponding result for the classical Navier-Stokes equations because it is not possible to use certain standard global estimates. The model is of interest mainly in the study of the so called ``fossile'' turbulence. As application of the result here obtained a finite speed theorem for the propagation of the vorticity field is proved.