Asymptotic theory of the Boltzmann system, for a steady flow of a slightly rarefied gas with a finite Mach number: General theory (Q1577295)

The authors consider a steady rarefied gas flow with Mach number of order of unity around a body or bodies. The general behaviour of the gas for small Knudsen numbers is studied by asymptotic analysis of the corresponding boundary value problem for Boltzmann equation in a general domain. The effect of gas rarefaction (or of Knudsen number) is described by a power series in the square root of Knudsen number of the system. The authors obtain fluid-dynamic type equations and associated boundary conditions, and use them to determine the component functions of the expansions of density, flow velocity and temperature of the gas. The equations up to the order of square root of Knudsen number do not contain non-Navier-Stokes stresses and heat flows which differ from the terms of the Darrozes theory. The contributions up to this order, except in the Knudsen layer, are included in Navier-Stokes equations and slip boundary conditions, consisting of tangential velocity slip due to the shear of flow and temperature jump due to the temperature gradient normal to the boundary.