Global existence of entropy-weak solutions to the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with non-linear density dependent viscosities (Q2124244)

Summary: In this paper, we considerably extend the results on global existence of entropy-weak solutions to the compressible Navier-Stokes system with density dependent viscosities obtained, independently (using different strategies) by \textit{A. F. Vasseur} and \textit{C. Yu} [Invent. Math. 206, No. 3, 935--974 (2016; Zbl 1354.35115)] and by \textit{J. Li} and \textit{Z. Xin} [``Global existence of weak solutions to the barotropic compressible Navier-Stokes flows with degenerate viscosities'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1504.06826}]. More precisely, we are able to consider a physical symmetric viscous stress tensor \(\sigma = 2 \mu(\rho) \,\mathbb{D}(u) +(\lambda(\rho) \operatorname{div} u - P(\rho) \operatorname{Id}\) where \(\mathbb{D}(u) = [\nabla u + \nabla^T u]/2\) with shear and bulk viscosities (respectively \(\mu(\rho)\) and \(\lambda(\rho))\) satisfying the BD relation \(\lambda(\rho)=2(\mu'(\rho)\rho - \mu(\rho))\) and a pressure law \(P(\rho)=a\rho^\gamma \) (with \(a>0\) a given constant) for any adiabatic constant \(\gamma>1\). The non-linear shear viscosity \(\mu(\rho)\) satisfies some lower and upper bounds for low and high densities (our result includes the case \(\mu(\rho)= \mu\rho^\alpha\) with \(2/3 < \alpha < 4\) and \(\mu>0\) constant). This provides an answer to a longstanding question on compressible Navier-Stokes equations with density dependent viscosities, mentioned for instance by \textit{F. Rousset} [Astérisque 407, Exp. No. 1135, 565--584 (2019; Zbl 1483.35155)].