Although the decay in time estimates of the semi-group generated by the linearized Boltzmann operator without forcing have been well established, there is no corresponding result for the case with general external force. This paper is mainly concerned with the optimal decay estimates on the solution operator in some weighted Sobolev spaces for the linearized Boltzmann equation with a time dependent external force. No time decay assumption is made on the force. The proof is based on both the energy method through the macro-micro decomposition and the <i>L</i> ^<i>p</i>-<i>L</i> ^<i>q</i> estimates from the spectral analysis. The decay estimates thus obtained are applied to the study on the global existence of the Cauchy problem to the nonlinear Boltzmann equation with time dependent external force and source. Precisely, for space dimension <i>n</i>3, the

We consider a strictly hyperbolic, genuinely nonlinear system of conservation laws in one space dimension. A sharp decay estimate is proved for the positive waves in an entropy weak solution. The result is stated in terms of a partial ordering among positive measures, using symmetric rearrangements and a comparison with a solution of Burgers's equation with impulsive sources.

The aim of this paper is to develop a mathematical framework for opto-elastography. In opto-elastography, a mechanical perturbation of the medium produces a decorrelation of optical speckle patterns due to the displacements of optical scatterers. To model this, we consider two optically random media, with the second medium obtained by shifting the first medium in some local region. We derive the radiative transfer equation for the cross-correlation of the wave fields in the media. Then we derive its diffusion approximation. In both the radiative transfer and the diffusion regimes, we relate the correlation of speckle patterns to the solutions of the radiative transfer and the diffusion equations. We present numerical simulations based on our model which are in agreement with recent experimental measurements.

G-equations are well-known front propagation models in turbulent combustion which describe the front motion law in the form of local normal velocity equal to a constant (laminar speed) plus the normal projection of fluid velocity. In level set formulation, G-equations are HamiltonJacobi equations with convex (<i>L</i> ¹ type) but non-coercive Hamiltonians. Viscous G-equations arise from either numerical approximations or regularizations by small diffusion. The nonlinear eigenvalue $${\bar H}$$ from the cell problem of the viscous G-equation can be viewed as an approximation of the inviscid turbulent flame speed <i>s</i> _T. An important problem in turbulent combustion theory is to study properties of <i>s</i> _T, in particular how <i>s</i> _T depends on the flow amplitude <i>A</i>. In this paper, we study the behavior of $${\bar H=\bar H(A,d)}$$ as <i>A</i> + at any fixed diffusion constant <i>d</i> &gt; 0. For cellular flow, we show that$$\bar H(A,d)\leqq

In this paper, we give a systematic study of the boundary layer behavior for linear convection-diffusion equation in the zero viscosity limit. We analyze the boundary layer structures in the viscous solution and derive the boundary condition satisfied by the viscosity limit as a solution of the inviscid equation. The results confirm that the Neumann type of far-field boundary condition is preferred in the outlet and characteristic boundary condition. Under some appropriate regularity and compatibility conditions on the initial and boundary data, we obtain optimal error estimates between the full viscous solution and the inviscid solution with suitable boundary layer corrections. These results hold in arbitrary space dimensions and similar statements also hold for the strip problem. This model well describes the behavior at the far-field for many physical and engineering systems such as fluid dynamical equation and electro-magnetic equation. The results obtained here should provide some theoretical guidance for designing effective far-field boundary conditions.