On symmetric solutions of the relativistic Vlasov-Poisson system (Q1069064)

The Cauchy problem for the relativistic Vlasov-Poisson equation is studied in three space dimensions, with spherically symmetric data. One seeks a non-negative function f(x,v,t) \((x\in {\mathbb{R}}^ 3\), \(v\in {\mathbb{R}}^ 3\), \(t>0)\) satisfying \[ \partial f/\partial t+\hat v\nabla_ xf+\gamma E\cdot \nabla_ vf=0,\quad f(x,v,0)=f_ 0(x,v) \] where \(\gamma =\pm 1\), \(\hat v=v/\sqrt{1+| v|^ 2}\), \(E=\nabla u\) with \(\Delta u=\rho \equiv \int f(x,v,t) dv.\) Here \(f_ 0\) depends only on \(| x|\), \(| v|\) and \(\alpha\), where \(x\cdot v=| x| | v| \cos \alpha\), and the solution depends only on these variables (and t) as well. The ''gravitational'' problem has \(\gamma =-1\) and possesses an indefinite energy functional. The plasma physics model, \(\gamma =+1\), is a special case of the Vlasov-Maxwell equations; here there is a positive definite energy functional. It is always assumed that \(0\leq f_ 0\in C^ 1_ 0({\mathbb{R}}^ 6).\) When \(\gamma =+1\), classical solutions are shown to exist in the large. However, when \(\gamma =-1\), there are global classical solutions only when \(f_ 0\) is small in an appropriate sense. Indeed, when the ''size'' of \(f_ 0\) is unrestricted and the energy is negative, the life-span of a solution must be finite. These results contrast sharply those known for the classical Vlasov- Poisson system. There global spherically symmetric solutions exist in both cases \(\gamma =\pm 1\).