The continuous coagulation-fragmentation equations with diffusion (Q1599488)

The object of the paper is well expressed by its title. The mathematical formulation of the problem consists in the solution of the initial-boundary value problem: \(\partial_t f-d(y) \Delta_xf= Q(f)\); where \((t,x,y) \in(0,\infty) \times\Omega \times\mathbb{R}_+\); \(\partial_nf=0\), where \((t,x,y) \in(0,\infty) \times\partial \Omega\times \mathbb{R}_+\); \(f(0,x,y)= f^{in} (x,y)\), where \((x,y)\in \Omega\times \mathbb{R}_+\). The following notations are used: \(\Omega\) is an open, bounded subset of \(\mathbb{R}^N\), \(N\geq 1\); \(\partial\Omega\) is its smooth boundary; \(\partial_nf\) is the outward normal derivative of \(f\); \(Q(f)\) is the coagulation-fragmentation reaction term, by the form \(Q(f)=Q_1(f)-Q_2(f)- Q_3(f)+ Q_4(f)\), where \(Q_i(f)\) \((i=1, \dots,4)\), are given expressions depending on the binary rate coagulation \(a\), the binary fragmentation rate \(b\) and the diffusion coefficient \(d\); \(f(x,y,t)\) is the size distribution function at time \(t\) and position \(x\). The aim of the paper is to study the existence of weak solutions of the above initial-boundary value problem in two cases: 1. When the weak compactness in \(L^1\) of \(f\) and \(Q(f)\) can be obtained; 2. When the coagulation coefficient satisfies a ``detailed balance condition'', established in a paper quoted in the reference list. As it is very difficult to present and analyse the main results of the paper shortly and rapidly, we limit ourselves to their enumeration, taken from the authors' presentation. 1. They establish a weak stability principle for weak solutions of the written initial-boundary problem. 2. Weak solutions are constructed in two theorems, when the kinetic coefficients satisfy the detailed balance condition, mentioned above, and a monotonicity condition. 3. Formal computations are made to show the influence of the above assumptions, made on the kinetic coefficients, upon the weak compactness in \(L^1\) of \(f\) and \(Q(f)\). 4. The weak stability results are proved in the fourth section of the paper. 5. They are applied to the construction of a sequence of approximating problems and to prove two main theorems of the paper. 6. The large-time behaviour of the solution is investigated in the final part of the paper. The above lines show that the paper has exclusively a theoretical character, with possible applications to other problems. It is written by two searchers who contributed themselves to the development of the problem and who minutely analyse it with high mathematical tools.