Isotropic cosmological singularities. III: The Cauchy problem for the inhomogeneous conformal Einstein-Vlasov equations (Q1581167)

This work generalizes results of some former papers on similar topics [The author and \textit{K. P. Tod}, Nonlinear Anal., Theory Methods Appl. 30, No. 6, 3599--3603 (1997; Zbl 0897.53063), Ann. Phys. 276, 257--293 (1999; Zbl 1003.83027) and ibid. 276, 294--320 (1999; Zbl 1003.83028)]. The existence and uniqueness of the solution of the Cauchy problem for the conformal Einstein equations near an isotropic singularity with a collisionless gas (Einstein-Vlasov equations) is shown. A brief review of the Einstein-Vlasov system and its behaviour under conformal rescaling is given including a collection of some former results. The Einstein equations are reduced to a symmetric hyperbolic system and the initial data are found. The Einstein-Vlasov system is solved in a first approximate way using a proof like the Newman-Claudel-theorem. This approximate solution is used to show the main result in several steps.