Non-formation of vacuum states for compressible Navier-Stokes equations (Q5940483)

Known uniqueness results for compressible Navier-Stokes equations in one spatial dimension rely upon Lagrangian coordinates, in which the reciprocal of the density \(\rho\) is fundamental. Vacuum states have, therefore, to be excluded. This paper addresses the question whether there are any solutions with vacuum states, and the answer will be negative: if there are no vacuum states initially, then in weak solutions cannot occur vacuum states for positive time \(t\), i.e. \(\int_E\rho (x,t) dx>0\) for every open set \(E\subset \mathbb{R}\) and for all \(t>0\). This result is true under quite general assumptions on the external force and on the solution itself.