A study of Boltzmann energy equations (Q1075193)

The Boltzmann energy equation describes the time evolution of the one particle distribution function of a rarefied gas, where the distribution itself depends only upon the energy variable \(x=1/2(\underline{v\cdot v})\). In this paper the authors are interested in the derivation, theory and numerical resolution of the energy equation, for spatially homogeneous isotropic systems of identical particles, with no external force fields. Explicit formulas for the collisional kernel K are given, then, owing to the structure of K, together with its symmetries, the estimation of the collisional invariants, and the derivation of the H- theorem are proposed. As a subsequent step, the possibility of solving the Boltzmann energy equation in suitable Hilbert spaces is considered. Finally, by using expansion in Laguerre polynomials, numerical solution are found.