Lax-Oleĭnik explicit formula and structure theory for balance laws (Q2304437)

The authors derive an analogue of Lax-Oleĭnik formula for entropy solutions of the scalar balance law \(u_t+f(u)_x-\alpha(t)u=0\) with a strictly convex flux function \(f(u)\). They also provide explicit formula for rarefaction waves and investigate the structure of entropy solutions in the case of generalized Riemann data. The obtained structure results turn out to be completely different from results known in the case of conservation laws \(\alpha\equiv 0\).