ABSTRACT We study coagulation-fragmentation equations inspired by a simple model proposed in fisheries science to explain data for the size distribution of schools of pelagic fish. Although the equations lack detailed balance and admit no $H$-theorem, we are able to develop a rather complete description of equilibrium profiles and large-time behavior, based on recent developments in complex function theory for Bernstein and Pick functions. In the large-population continuum limit, a scaling-invariant regime is reached in which all equilibria are determined by a single scaling profile. This universal profile exhibits power-law behavior crossing over from exponent $-\frac23$ for small size to $-\frac32$ for large size, with an exponential cut-off.

We present a domain decomposition method on a semilinear hyperbolic system with multiple relaxation times. In the region where the relaxation time is small, an asymptotic equilibrium equation can be used for computational efficiency. An interface condition based on the sign of the characteristic speed at the interface is provided to couple the two systems in a domain decomposition setting. A rigorous analysis, based on the Laplace Transform, on the $ L^2$ error estimate is presented for the linear case, which shows how the error of the domain decomposition method depends on the smaller relaxation time, and the boundary and interface layer effects. The given convergence rate is optimal. We present a numerical implementation of this domain decomposition method, and give some numerical results in order to study the performance of this method.

In this paper, we introduce a new Glimm functional for general systems of hyperbolic conservation laws. This new functional is consistent with the classical Glimm functional for the case when each characteristic field is either genuinely nonlinear or linearly degenerate, so that it can be viewed as optimal in some sense. With this new functional, the consistency of the Glimm scheme is proved clearly for general systems. Moreover, the convergence rate of the Glimm scheme is shown to be the same as the one obtained in Bressan, Marson (Arch Ration Mech Anal 142(2):155176, 1998) for systems with each characteristic field being genuinely nonlinear or linearly degenerate.

The dynamics of dilute electrons can be modelled by the fundamental VlasovPoissonBoltzmann system which describes mutual interactions of the electrons through collisions in the self-consistent electric field. In this paper, it is shown that any smooth perturbation of a given global Maxwellian leads to a unique global-in-time classical solution when either the mean free path is small or the background charge density is large. Moreover, the solution converges to the global Maxwellian when time tends to infinity. The analysis combines the techniques used in the study of conservation laws with the decomposition of the Boltzmann equation introduced in [17, 19] by obtaining new entropy estimates for this physical model.

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 L p-L q 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 n>= 3, the global existence and decay rates of solutions to the Cauchy problem are