Uniform stability estimates for solutions and their gradients to the Boltzmann equation: a unified approach (Q959831)

Uniform \(L^1\) stability is proved for mild solutions to the Boltzmann equation and for spatial derivatives of classical solutions. The Cauchy problem for the inhomogeneous Boltzmann equation can be represented as finding a function \(f(x,v,t)\) so that, given \(f_0(x,v)\geq 0\), \[ \partial _t f+v\cdot\nabla _xf= Q(f,f) \quad\text{for }(x,v,t)\in \mathbb R^3\times \mathbb R^3\times(0,\infty) \] and \( f(x,v,0)=f_0(x,v)\) for \((x,v)\in\mathbb R^3\times\mathbb R^{3}\), assuming that \(x\in \mathbb R^3\), \(v\) represents velocity and also \(\in\mathbb R^{3}\) and \(t\) represents time. \(Q(f,h)\) is the collision operator, defined as a bilinear form involving the collision kernel, operating on functions \(f\) and \(h\). If \(f\) is continuous, non-negative and continuously differentiable in \(x\) and \(t\), and if \(f\) solves the above IVP for all \((x,v,t)\), then \(f\) is a classical solution to the Boltzmannn equation. Let the functions \(f(x,v,t)\) and \(g(x,v,t)\) be mild solutions to the Boltzmann equation, i.e. \(f\) and \(g\) are non-negative measurable functions satisfying the equation \[ f(x+tv,v,t)= f_0(x,v)+ \int_0^t Q(f,f)(x+sv,v,s)\,ds\text{ for a.e. }(x,v)\in\mathbb R^3\times\mathbb R^3\text{ and for all }t\geq 0. \] The function \(f(x,v,t)\in O(h,m)\) if \(f\) is measurable and \(| f(x,v,t)|\leq 2h(| x-tv|) m(| v|) \) for positive functions \(h\), continuous and decreasing, and \(m\), both defined on \([0,\infty)\), so that \(\int_0^\infty h(r)(1+r^2)\,dr<\infty\) and \(\int_0^\infty m(r)r^2\,dr<\infty\). If \(f_0\) is measurable on \(\mathbb R^3\times \mathbb R^3\), and \(0\leq f_0(x,v)\leq h(| x|)m (| v|)\), then \(f_0\in D(h,m)\). Assuming that the collision kernel satisfies certain technical conditions, and that \(f,g\) \(\in O(h,m)\) with initial values \(f_0,g_0\in D(h,m)\), then for \(f\) ,\(g\) mild solutions to the Boltzmann equation, the authors prove that there exists a \(\lambda \), depending on the collision kernel and on \(h\) and \(m\), so that \(\sup_{t\geq 0}\| f(t)-g(t)\|_{L^1}= \sup_{t\geq 0}\iint_{\mathbb R}^3\times \mathbb R^3| f(x,v,t)- g(x,v,t)| \,dx\,dv\leq (\frac{1}{1-\lambda}) \| f_0-g_0\| _{L^1}\) when \(\lambda <1\). For \(f,g\) as above also being classical solutions with \(\nabla_xf,\nabla_xg\in O(h,m)\), and \(\lambda<\frac{1}{2}\), then \(\sup_{t\geq 0}\|\nabla_xf(t)-\nabla_xg(t)\|_{L^1}\leq (\frac{1}{1-2\lambda}) \|\nabla_xf_0-\nabla_xg_0\|_{L^1}\). The proof consists in showing that the functional \((Jf)(x,v,t)= \int_0^t Q(f,f)(x,v,s)\,ds\) is a Lipschitz mapping with Lipschitz constant \(\lambda\). The paper also discusses special models and global existence of mild solutions. Related work is found in \textit{R. Duan, T. Yang} and \textit{C. Zhu} [J. Differ. Equations 227, No. 1, 1--28 (2006; Zbl 1101.76051)], \textit{S.-Y. Ha} [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 173, No. 2, 279--296 (2004; Zbl 1063.76085) and J. Differ. Equations 215, No. 1, 178--205 (2005; Zbl 1069.76048)].