Central limit theorem for the solution of the Kac equation (Q2378633)

By departing from the classic McKean's paper on the speed of approach to equilibrium in the Kac model of Maxwellian gas [Arch. Rational Mech. Anal. 21, 343--382 (1966)] and \textit{E. Carlen, M. C. Carvalho} and \textit{E. Gabetta}'s discussion of an error in the Wild expansion [Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 53, No. 3, 370--397 (2000; Zbl 1028.82017)], the present authors investigate necessary and sufficient conditions for the central limit theorem for Maxwellian molecules to hold. It is proved that a necessary condition is that the initial energy is finite. Moreover, a precise quantitative evaluation of the rate of convergence to equilibrium is established. The major technical input is an observation that a solution of the Kac model admits an interpretation of the pertinent probability distribution as that of a sum of a random number of random variables. This fact allows to study convergence to equilibrium by means of a classical statements involved in the central limit theorem.