Stability of planar rarefaction wave to 3D full compressible Navier-Stokes equations (Q1728927)

The authors consider the Navier-Stokes system for compressible, polytropic, heat conducting fluid in the nozzle domain \({\mathbb R}\times{\mathbb T}^2\). The nonlinear stability of the planar rarefaction wave joining the states \((\pm \varrho,\pm u)\) for \(x_1\to\pm\infty\), and propagating in the \(x_1\)-direction is studied. The asymptotic behavior of the full system for \(t\to\infty\) is expected to be related to that of the solution of the Riemann problem for the (inviscid) Euler system. Multidimensional problem considered here presents additional difficulties connected with the coupling in the momentum and energy equations. A novel and delicate cancellation effect for flux and viscous terms is crucial in the analysis of the wave propagation in \(x_2\)- and \(x_3\)-directions.