Critical thresholds in Euler-Poisson equations (Q2767799)

This interesting paper contains a preliminary study of new phenomena associated with the Euler-Poisson equation called critical threshold phenomena. In these phenomena the answer to questions concerning the global smoothness versus finite time breakdown depend on whether the initial configuration crosses an intrinsic \(O(1)\) critical threshold. A typical case is the simple one-dimensional problem where the unforced inviscid Burgers' equation has a solution that always forms a shock discontinuity except in the non-generic case of an increasing initial profile. The paper, containing five sections and an appendix emphasizes once again the way in which problems lying on the linear/nonlinear borderline lead to the Riccati equation.