On the vacuum state for the equations of isentropic gas dynamics (Q1102809)

The author studies the existence of globally continuous solutions for the initial value problem of isentropic gas dynamics under locally Lipschitz continuous or piecewise Lipschitz continuous initial data. The main tool in the analysis is the method of polygonal approximations where approximate solutions are piecewise constant functions separated by special contact discontinuities in rarefaction waves and by special weak shocks in compressive waves. The striking point is an appropriate approximation of the pressure function to prevent an incorrect acceleration of wave interactions. A main result states that for a solution consisting of rarefaction waves the vacuum state is never attained.