arXiv subjects

Alberto Bressan

Publications and source records attributed to Alberto Bressan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A Two-Fluxes Stochastic Model of Traffic Waves

The paper introduces a stochastic model for the spontaneous formation of traffic waves on a highway. This is formulated in terms of a conservation law with discontinuous, gradient-dependent flux. In an unstable regime, the non-uniqueness of solutions allows for the emergence of $N$-shaped spikes in the traffic density, at random points and times. Bounds are proved on the expected value of the total variation of the random solution and on the expected number of shocks. Further bounds are obtained on the average velocity and on the expected average acceleration of cars, along a given stretch of highway. Finally, it is proved that the Markov process, whose paths are random solutions to the conservation law, admits a unique stationary probability distribution and is ergodic.

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arXiv2026

Local Asymptotic Patterns for Viscous Approximations of Conservation Laws

Solutions to hyperbolic conservation laws can be approximated in many different ways: by vanishing viscosity, relaxations, discrete or semi-discrete numerical schemes, approximation with a nonlocal flux, etc$\ldots$ For some of these methods, general ${\bf L}^1$ convergence results are available. Aim of this paper is to understand the local behavior of these approximations, in a neighborhood of point where the hyperbolic solution has a singularity. Specifically: a point along a shock, or where two shocks interact, or where a new shock is formed. Given a sequence of $\epsilon$-approximate solutions, a general expectation is that, by a suitable local rescaling of coordinates, as $\epsilon\to 0$ a well defined limit is obtained. This corresponds to a specific ``eternal solution" (globally defined both in space and in time) to the approximating equation. Precise results this direction are here given, in the case of vanishing viscosity.

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arXiv2026

A Mollification Approach to Ramified Transport and Tree Shape Optimization

The paper analyzes a mollification algorithm, for the numerical computation of optimal irrigation patterns. This provides a regularization of the standard irrigation cost functional, in a Lagrangian framework. Lower semicontinuity and Gamma-convergence results are proved. The technique is then applied to some numerical optimization problems, related to the optimal shape of tree roots and branches.

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arXiv2026

A Uniqueness Condition for Conservation Laws with Discontinuous Gradient-Dependent Flux

The paper is concerned with a scalar conservation law with discontinuous gradient-dependent flux. Namely, the flux is described by two different functions $f(u)$ or $g(u)$, when the gradient $u_x$ of the solution is positive or negative, respectively. In the stable case where $f(u)<g(u)$ for all $u\in R$, it was proved in [1] that the limits of vanishing viscosity approximations form a contractive semigroup w.r.t. the $L^1$ distance. Further, they coincide with the limits of a suitable family of front tracking approximations. In the present paper we introduce a simple condition that guarantees that every weak, entropy admissible solution of a Cauchy problem coincides with the corresponding semigroup trajectory, and hence is unique.

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arXiv2025

Uniqueness Domains for ${\bf L}^\infty$ Solutions of $2 \times 2$ Hyperbolic Conservation Laws

For a genuinely nonlinear $2\times 2$ hyperbolic system of conservation laws, assuming that the initial data have small ${\bf L}^\infty$ norm but possibly unbounded total variation, the existence of global solutions was proved in a classical paper by Glimm and Lax (1970). In general, the total variation of these solutions decays like $t^{-1}$. Motivated by the theory of fractional domains for linear analytic semigroups, we consider here solutions with faster decay rate: $\mathrm{Tot. Var. }\bigl\{u(t,\cdot)\bigr\}\leq C t^{\alpha-1}$. For these solutions, a uniqueness theorem is proved. Indeed, as the initial data range over a domain of functions with $\|\bar u\|_{{\bf L}^\infty} \leq\varepsilon_1$ small enough, solutions with fast decay yield a H\"older continuous semigroup. The H\"older exponent can be taken arbitrarily close to $1$ by further shrinking the value of $\varepsilon_1>0$. An auxiliary result identifies a class of initial data whose solutions have rapidly decaying total variation.

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arXiv2025

Optimally Controlled Moving Sets with Geographical Constraints

The paper is concerned with a family of geometric evolution problems, modeling the spatial control of an invasive population within a region $V\subset \R^2$ bounded by geographical barriers. If no control is applied, the contaminated set $\Omega(t)\subset V$ expands with unit speed in all directions. By implementing a control, a region of area $M$ can be cleared up per unit time. Given an initial set $\Omega(0)=\Omega_0\subseteq V$, three main problems are studied: (1) Existence of an admissible strategy $t\mapsto\Omega(t)$ which eradicates the contamination in finite time, so that $\Omega(T)=\emptyset$ for some $T>0$. (2) Optimal strategies that achieve eradication in minimum time. (3) Strategies that minimize the average area of the contaminated set on a given time interval $[0,T]$. For these optimization problems, a sufficient condition for optimality is proved, together with several necessary conditions. Based on these conditions, optimal set-valued motions $t\mapsto \Omega(t)$ are explicitly constructed in a number of cases. \end{abstract}

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arXiv2025

Results and open questions on the boundary control of moving sets

These notes provide a survey of recent results and open problems on the boundary control of moving sets. Motivated by the control of an invasive biological species, we consider a class of optimization problems for a moving set $t\mapsto \Omega(t)$, where the goal is to minimize the area of the contaminated set $\Omega(t)$ over time, plus a cost related to the control effort. Here the control function is the inward normal speed, assigned along the boundary $\partial \Omega(t)$. We also consider problems with geographical constraints, where the invasive population is restricted within an island. Existence and structure of eradication strategies, which entirely remove the invasive population in minimum time, is also discussed.

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arXiv2025

Generic uniqueness and conjugate points for optimal control problems

The paper is concerned with an optimal control problem on $\mathbb{R}^n$, where the dynamics is linear w.r.t.~the control functions. For a terminal cost $\psi$ in a $mathcal{G}_\delta$ set of $\mathcal{C}^4(\mathbb{R}^n)$ (i.e., in a countable intersection of open dense subsets), two main results are proved.Namely: the set $\Gamma_\psi\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ of conjugate points is closed, with locally bounded $(n-2)$-dimensional Hausdorff measure. Moreover, the set of initial points $y\in \mathbb{R}^n\setminus\Gamma_\psi$, which admit two or more globally optimal trajectories, is contained in the union of a locally finite family of embedded manifolds. In particular, the value function is continuously differentiable on an open, dense subset of $\mathbb{R}^n$.

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arXiv2024

Conservation Laws with Discontinuous Gradient-Dependent Flux: the Unstable Case

The paper is concerned with a scalar conservation law with discontinuous gradient-dependent flux. Namely, the flux is described by two different functions $f(u)$ or $g(u)$, when the gradient $u_x$ of the solution is positive or negative, respectively. We study here the unstable case where $f(u)>g(u)$ for all $u\in {\mathbb R}$. Assuming that both $f$ and $g$ are strictly convex, solutions to the Riemann problem are constructed. Even for a smooth initial data, examples show that the Cauchy problem can have infinitely many solutions. For an initial data which is piecewise monotone, i.e., increasing or decreasing on a finite number of intervals, a solution can be constructed globally in time. It is proved that such solution is unique under the additional requirement that the number of interfaces, where the flux switches between $f$ and $g$, remains as small as possible.

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arXiv2024

Conservation Laws with Discontinuous Gradient-Dependent Flux: the Stable Case

The paper is concerned with a scalar conservation law with discontinuous gradient-dependent flux. Namely, the flux is described by two different functions $f(u)$ or $g(u)$, when the gradient $u_x$ of the solution is positive or negative, respectively. We study here the stable case where $f(u)<g(u)$ for all $u\in {\mathbb R}$, with $f,g$ smooth but possibly not convex. A front tracking algorithm is introduced, proving that piecewise constant approximations converge to the trajectories of a contractive semigroup on $\mathbf{L}^1({\mathbb R})$. In the spatially periodic case, we prove that semigroup trajectories coincide with the unique limits of a suitable class of vanishing viscosity approximations.

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arXiv2024

Generic Solutions to Controlled Balance Laws

The paper is concerned with a scalar balance law, where the source term depends on a control function $\alpha(t)$. Given a control $\alpha\in \mathbf{L}^\infty\bigl([0,T]\bigr)$, it is proved that, for generic initial data $\bar u \in \mathcal{C}^3(\mathbb{R})$, the solution has finitely many shocks, interacting at most two at a time. Moreover, at the terminal time $T$ no shock interaction occurs, and no new shock is formed. In addition, a family of optimal control problems is considered, including a running cost and a terminal cost. An example is constructed where the optimal solution contains two shocks merging exactly at the terminal time $T$. Such behavior persists under any suitably small perturbation of the flux, source, and cost functions, and of the initial data. This shows that generic solutions of optimization problems have different qualitative properties, compared with generic solutions to Cauchy problems.

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arXiv2024

The Initial Stages of a Generic Singularity for a 2D Pressureless Gas

We consider the Cauchy problem for the equations of pressureless gases in two space dimensions. For a generic set of smooth initial data (density and velocity), it is known that the solution loses regularity at a finite time $t_0$, where both the the density and the velocity gradient become unbounded. Aim of this paper is to provide an asymptotic description of the solution beyond the time of singularity formation. For $t>t_0$ we show that a singular curve is formed, where the mass has positive density w.r.t.1-dimensional Hausdorff measure. The system of equations describing the behavior of the singular curve is not hyperbolic. Working within a class of analytic data, local solutions can be constructed using a version of the Cauchy-Kovalevskaya theorem. For this purpose, by a suitable change of variables we rewrite the evolution equations as a first order system of Briot-Bouquet type, to which a general existence-uniqueness theorem can then be applied.

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arXiv2024

Intermediate Domains for Scalar Conservation Laws

For a scalar conservation law with strictly convex flux, by Oleinik's estimates the total variation of a solution with initial data $\overline{u}\in \bf{L}^\infty(\mathbb R)$ decays like $t^{-1}$. This paper introduces a class of intermediate domains $\mathcal P_\alpha$, $0<\alpha<1$, such that for $\overline u\in \mathcal P_\alpha$ a faster decay rate is achieved: $\mathrm{Tot.Var.}\bigl\{ u(t,\cdot)\bigr\}\sim t^{\alpha-1}$. A key ingredient of the analysis is a ``Fourier-type" decomposition of $\overline u$ into components which oscillate more and more rapidly. The results aim at extending the theory of fractional domains for analytic semigroups to an entirely nonlinear setting.

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arXiv2024

Generic Properties of Conjugate Points in Optimal Control Problems

The first part of the paper studies a class of optimal control problems in Bolza form, where the dynamics is linear w.r.t.~the control function. A necessary condition is derived, for the optimality of a trajectory which starts at a conjugate point. The second part is concerned with a classical problem in the Calculus of Variations, with free terminal point. For a generic terminal cost $\psi\in \C^4(\mathbb{R}^n)$, applying the previous necessary condition we show that the set of conjugate points is contained in the image of an $(n-2)$-dimensional manifold, and has locally bounded $(n-2)$-dimensional Hausdorff measure.

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arXiv2023

One Dimensional Hyperbolic Conservation Laws: Past and Future

Aim of these notes is provide a brief review of the current well-posedness theory for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws in one space dimension, also pointing out open problems and possible research directions. They supplement the slides of the short course given by the author in Erice, May 2023, available at: sites.google.com/view/erice23/speakers-and-slides.

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arXiv2023

Generic Singularities for 2D Pressureless Flow

In this paper, we consider the Cauchy problem for pressureless gases in two space dimensions with generic smooth initial data (density and velocity). These equations give rise to singular curves, where the mass has positive density w.r.t.~1-dimensional Hausdorff measure. We observe that the system of equations describing these singular curves is not hyperbolic. For analytic data, local solutions are constructed using a version of the Cauchy-Kovalevskaya theorem. We then study the interaction of two singular curves, in generic position. Finally, for a generic initial velocity field, we investigate the asymptotic structure of the smooth solution up to the first time when a singularity is formed.

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arXiv2023

Optimal Solutions for a Class of Set-Valued Evolution Problems

The paper is concerned with a class of optimization problems for moving sets $t\mapstoΩ(t)\subset\mathbb{R}^2$, motivated by the control of invasive biological populations. Assuming that the initial contaminated set $Ω_0$ is convex, we prove that a strategy is optimal if an only if at each given time $t\in [0,T]$ the control is active along the portion of the boundary $\partial Ω(t)$ where the curvature is maximal. In particular, this implies that $Ω(t)$ is convex for all $t\geq 0$. The proof relies on the analysis of a one-step constrained optimization problem, obtained by a time discretization.

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arXiv2023

A remark on the uniqueness of solutions to hyperbolic conservation laws

Given a strictly hyperbolic $n\times n$ system of conservation laws, it is well known that there exists a unique Lipschitz semigroup of weak solutions, defined on a domain of functions with small total variation, which are limits of vanishing viscosity approximations. Aim of this note is to prove that every weak solution taking values in the domain of the semigroup, and whose shocks satisfy the Liu admissibility conditions, actually coincides with a semigroup trajectory.

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