The generalized nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem for linearly degenerate quasilinear hyperbolic systems of conservation laws (Q531864)

The author of this interesting paper considers a quasilinear hyperbolic system of conservation laws of form \[ \partial_tu+\partial_xf(u)=0, \qquad u=u(t,x)\in {\mathcal{U}}\subset\mathbb R^n, \] where \(f:{\mathcal U}\to\mathbb R^n\) is a given \(C^3\) vector function of \(u\). It is assumed that the system is strictly hyperbolic. Consider the nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem in a half space \(D=\{(t,x): t\geq 0\), \(x\geq 0\}\) with the constant initial data \(t=0\), \(u=\varphi (0)\), \(x\geq 0\), and the nonlinear boundary condition \(x=0\), \(v_s=G_s(\alpha (0),v_1,\dots ,v_m)+h_s(0)\triangleq G_s(v_1,\dots ,v_m)\) (\(s=m+1,\dots ,n\)) (\(t\geq 0\)). It is proved the global existence and uniqueness of piecewise \(C^1\) solution containing only contact discontinuities to the class of the generalized nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problems. One may consider the above task as a small BV perturbation of the corresponding nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem, for general \(n\times n\) linearly degenerate quasilinear hyperbolic system of conservation laws. It turns out that the above stated solution has some global structure similar to the one of the self-similar solution \(u=U(x/t)\) to the corresponding nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem. Several applications to quasilinear hyperbolic systems arising in the theory of elastic strings as well as the model of Born-Infeld in physics and its new applications in the string theory and high energy physics are discussed. They illustrate the general theory.