Representation of dissipative solutions to a nonlinear variational wave equation (Q900231)

The paper studies a nonlinear variational wave equation of second order. The authors first reduce the nonlinear variational wave equation into a semilinear hyperbolic system with discontinuous source terms, by a variable transformation. The solutions to the semilinear system are constructed by an approximation argument. Then reverting to the original variable, a dissipative solution to the nonlinear variational wave equation is obtained. Thus a new argument is presented to discuss the dissipation solution to a variational wave equation in this paper.