Application of the method of spectral deformation to the Vlasov-Poisson system (Q916006)

The authors treat the initial value problem for the linearized Vlasov equation in one dimension by the method of spectral deformation; they state that this appears to be the first application of this tool outside the theory of Schrödinger operators. The linearized Vlasov operator \({\mathcal L}\) is associated with a family of operators \({\mathcal L}(\theta)\), depending analytically on the complex parameter \(\theta\), such that \({\mathcal L}(0)={\mathcal L}\). The discussion of \({\mathcal L}(\theta)\) leads to a new way to solve the linear initial value problem and to a new eigenfunction expansion, which can be applied to nonlinear problems. Our result which follows from the theory of \({\mathcal L}(\theta)\) is that embedded eigenvalues of \({\mathcal L}\) are generically simple (both their geometric and algebraic multiplicity is one). The extension of the deformation construction to the full nonlinear Vlasov equation leads to a one parameter family of evolution equations; they inherit the time reversal invariance of the Vlasov equation. The new eigenfunction expansion for \({\mathcal L}(\theta)\) is applied to derive equation for the nonlinear evolution of electrostatic waves.