Skew-selfadjoint form for systems of conservation laws (Q1080074)

The author studies the Cauchy problem for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws provided that an entropy inequality is fulfilled. Motivated by equations of gasdynamics, the author shows under the assumption of the entropy function being homogeneous, that the system can be written in a (quasilinear) skew-selfadjoint form. Using such a form he proves that a global entropy conservation is valid. The author proves a local entropy decay estimate as well. Examples of the shallow-water and the full gasdynamics equations are treated explicitly.