The least action admissibility principle (Q7011640)

In this truly remarkable paper, the authors introduce a new admissibility criterion for choosing physically relevant weak solutions of the equations of Lagrangian and continuum mechanics, when non-uniqueness of solutions to the initial value problem occurs. This criterion is motivated and based upon the classical least action principle in variational calculus. The authors follow an original Feynman's idea to use the classical least action principle to select the most likely paths among all possible particle trajectories in quantum mechanics. \N\NIn the classical least action principle, where the initial and terminal Lagrangian positions are given, the stationarity of the action will produce the Euler-Lagrange equations. \N\NIn the present paper, instead, the least action principle is used as a selection or admissibility criterion, in the situation when the barotropic Euler equations of classical compressible fluid mechanics possess non-unique weak solutions with same initial data. Hence there is no need to look for stationarity of the action, since the Lagrangian is derived from the already known balance laws, the action now serving the new purpose as an admissibility criterion. \N\NThe major motivation for this work begins with the breakthrough results of \textit{C. De Lellis} and \textit{L. Székelyhidi jun.} [Ann. Math. (2) 170, No. 3, 1417--1436 (2009; Zbl 1350.35146); Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 195, No. 1, 225--260 (2010; Zbl 1192.35138)], where the method of convex integration was used to contruct infinitely many solutions to both incompressible and compressible Euler systems, all emanating from the same initial data and satisfying the standard energy-entropy admissibility criterion. Since the weak solutions constructed by the convex integration method satisfy the usual energy-entropy admissibility criterion but are non-unique, the next step was to use a more precise criterion, i.e. the entropy rate criterion of \textit{C. M. Dafermos} [J. Differ. Equations 14, 202--212 (1973; Zbl 0262.35038)]. \N\N\textit{E. Feireisl} showed in [J. Math. Fluid Mech. 16, No. 3, 447--461 (2014; Zbl 1308.35190)] that, under some mild restrictions, the entropy rate criterion rules out all weak solutions to the barotropic compressible Euler equations constructed by convex integration. The issue might be considered settled if not for the surprising result of \textit{E. Chiodaroli} and \textit{O. Kreml} in [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 214, No. 3, 1019--1049 (2014; Zbl 1304.35516)], where a two-dimensional Riemann problem was found in which the convex integration solutions could be preferred, according to the entropy rate criterion, to the perhaps physically expected two shock solution. This strongly motivates to study the role played by the least action principle as an alternative selection criterion, at least in this example. Among the other, in the present paper, the authors provide sufficient conditions on the Riemann initial data for which the two shock solution will be preferred according to the new least action admissibility criterion.