Entropy solutions for weakly coupled hyperbolic systems in several space dimensions (Q1392757)

The aim of the paper is to show an existence and uniqueness theorem for certain entropy solutions of a nonlinear hyperbolic weakly coupled systems in several space dimensions. Systems of this type are widely used in the modelling of combustion processes, hydrological problems, relaxation schemes, or mathematical biology. The method of proof relies on the extension of the classical viscosity method due to Kružkov. The author constructs an entropy solution for the weakly coupled hyperbolic Cauchy problem as a limit of ``viscous'' solutions to corresponding parabolic Cauchy problems. At the end of the paper general theoretical results for weakly coupled hyperbolic systems are applied to some special problems, e.g. problems from combustion theory and hydrology.