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Alberto Bressan

Publications and source records attributed to Alberto Bressan.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2015

No BV bounds for approximate solutions to p-system with general pressure law

For the p-system with large BV initial data, an assumption introduced in [3] by Bakhvalov guarantees the global existence of entropy weak solutions with uniformly bounded total variation. The present paper provides a partial converse to this result. Whenever Bakhvalov's condition does not hold, we show that there exist front tracking approximate solutions, with uniformly positive density, whose total variation becomes arbitrarily large. The construction extends the arguments in [4] to a general class of pressure laws.

math.AP↗
arXiv2014

Unique Conservative Solutions to a Variational Wave Equation

Relying on the analysis of characteristics, we prove the uniqueness of conservative solutions to the variational wave equation $u_{tt}-c(u) (c(u)u_x)_x=0$. Given a solution $u(t,x)$, even if the wave speed $c(u)$ is only Hölder continuous in the $t$-$x$ plane, one can still define forward and backward characteristics in a unique way. Using a new set of independent variables $X,Y$, constant along characteristics, we prove that $t,x,u$, together with other variables, satisfy a semilinear system with smooth coefficients. From the uniqueness of the solution to this semilinear system, one obtains the uniqueness of conservative solutions to the Cauchy problem for the wave equation with general initial data $u(0,\cdot)\in H^1(\mathbb{R})$, $u_t(0,\cdot)\in L^2(\mathbb{R})$.

math.AP↗
arXiv2014

Representation of Dissipative Solutions to a Nonlinear Variational Wave Equation

The paper introduces a new way to construct dissipative solutions to a second order variational wave equation. By a variable transformation, from the nonlinear PDE one obtains a semilinear hyperbolic system with sources. In contrast with the conservative case, here the source terms are discontinuous and the discontinuities are not always crossed transversally. Solutions to the semilinear system are obtained by an approximation argument, relying on Kolmogorov's compactness theorem. Reverting to the original variables, one recovers a solution to the nonlinear wave equation where the total energy is a monotone decreasing function of time.

math.AP↗
arXiv2014

Uniqueness of Conservative Solutions to the Camassa-Holm Equation via Characteristics

The paper provides a direct proof the uniqueness of solutions to the Camassa-Holm equation, based on characteristics. Given a conservative solution $u=u(t,x)$, an equation is introduced which singles out a unique characteristic curve through each initial point. By studying the evolution of the quantities $u$ and $v= 2\arctan u_x$ along each characteristic, it is proved that the Cauchy problem with general initial data $u_0\in H^1(\mathbb{R})$ has a unique solution, globally in time.

math.AP↗
arXiv2013

Non-existence and Non-uniqueness for Multidimensional Sticky Particle Systems

The paper is concerned with sticky weak solutions to the equations of pressureless gases in two or more space dimensions. Various initial data are constructed, showing that the Cauchy problem can have (i) two distinct sticky solutions, or (ii) no sticky solution, not even locally in time. In both cases the initial density is smooth with compact support, while the initial velocity field is continuous.

math.AP↗
arXiv2013

Lack of BV Bounds for Approximate Solutions to the p-system with Large Data

We consider front tracking approximate solutions to the p-system of isentropic gas dynamics. At interaction times, the outgoing wave fronts have the same strength as in the exact solution of the Riemann problem, but some error is allowed in their speed. For large BV initial data, we construct examples showing that the total variation of these approximate solutions can become arbitrarily large, or even blow up in finite time. This happens even if the density of the gas remains uniformly positive.

math.AP↗
arXiv2012

On the Control of Non Holonomic Systems by Active Constraints

The paper is concerned with mechanical systems which are controlled by implementing a number of time-dependent, frictionless holonomic constraints. The main novelty is due to the presence of additional non-holonomic constraints. We develop a general framework to analyze these problems, deriving the equations of motion and studying the continuity properties of the "control-to-trajectory" maps. Various geometric characterizations are provided, in order that the equations be affine w.r.t. the time derivative of the control. In this case the system is fit for jumps, and the evolution is well defined also in connection with discontinuous control functions. The classical Roller Racer provides an example where the non-affine dependence of the equations on the derivative of the control is due only to the non-holonomic constraint. This is a case where the presence of quadratic terms in the equations can be used for controllability purposes.

math.DS↗
arXiv2009

Lipschitz metric for the Hunter-Saxton equation

We study stability of solutions of the Cauchy problem for the Hunter-Saxton equation $u_t+uu_x=\frac14(\int_{-\infty}^xu_x^2 dx-\int_{x}^\infty u_x^2 dx)$ with initial data $u_0$. In particular, we derive a new Lipschitz metric $d_\D$ with the property that for two solutions $u$ and $v$ of the equation we have $d_\D(u(t),v(t))\le e^{Ct} d_\D(u_0,v_0)$.

math.AP↗
arXiv2005

Nearly Time Optimal Stabilizing Patchy Feedbacks

We consider the time optimal stabilization problem for a nonlinear control system $\dot x=f(x,u)$. Let $τ(y)$ be the minimum time needed to steer the system from the state $y\in\R^n$ to the origin, and call $\A(T)$ the set of initial states that can be steered to the origin in time $τ(y)\leq T$. Given any $\ve>0$, in this paper we construct a patchy feedback $u=U(x)$ such that every solution of $\dot x=f(x, U(x))$, $x(0)=y\in \A(T)$ reaches an $\ve$-neighborhood of the origin within time $τ(y)+\ve$.

math.CA↗
arXiv2005

Infinite Horizon Noncooperative Differential Games

For a non-cooperative differential game, the value functions of the various players satisfy a system of Hamilton-Jacobi equations. In the present paper, we consider a class of infinite-horizon games with nonlinear costs exponentially discounted in time. By the analysis of the value functions, we establish the existence of Nash equilibrium solutions in feedback form and provide results and counterexamples on their uniqueness and stability.

math.AP↗
arXiv2005

An Optimal Transportation Metric for Solutions of the Camassa-Holm Equation

In this paper we construct a global, continuous flow of solutions to the Camassa-Holm equation on the entire space $H^1$. Our solutions are conservative, in the sense that the total energy $\int (u^2+u_x^2) dx$ remains a.e. constant in time. Our new approach is based on a distance functional $J(u,v)$, defined in terms of an optimal transportation problem, which satisfies ${d\over dt} J(u(t), v(t))\leq κ\cdot J(u(t),v(t))$ for every couple of solutions. Using this new distance functional, we can construct arbitrary solutions as the uniform limit of multi-peakon solutions, and prove a general uniqueness result.

math.AP↗
arXiv2005

On Asymptotic Variational Wave Equations

We investigate the equation $(u_t + (f(u))_x)_x = f''(u) (u_x)^2/2$ where $f(u)$ is a given smooth function. Typically $f(u)= u^2/2$ or $u^3/3$. This equation models unidirectional and weakly nonlinear waves for the variational wave equation $u_{tt} - c(u) (c(u)u_x)_x =0$ which models some liquid crystals with a natural sinusoidal $c$. The equation itself is also the Euler-Lagrange equation of a variational problem. Two natural classes of solutions can be associated with this equation. A conservative solution will preserve its energy in time, while a dissipative weak solution loses energy at the time when singularities appear. Conservative solutions are globally defined, forward and backward in time, and preserve interesting geometric features, such as the Hamiltonian structure. On the other hand, dissipative solutions appear to be more natural from the physical point of view. We establish the well-posedness of the Cauchy problem within the class of conservative solutions, for initial data having finite energy and assuming that the flux function $f$ has Lipschitz continuous second-order derivative. In the case where $f$ is convex, the Cauchy problem is well-posed also within the class of dissipative solutions. However, when $f$ is not convex, we show that the dissipative solutions do not depend continuously on the initial data.

math.AP↗
arXiv2005

An Instability of the Godunov Scheme

We construct a solution to a $2\times 2$ strictly hyperbolic system of conservation laws, showing that the Godunov scheme \cite{Godunov59} can produce an arbitrarily large amount of oscillations. This happens when the speed of a shock is close to rational, inducing a resonance with the grid. Differently from the Glimm scheme or the vanishing viscosity method, for systems of conservation laws our counterexample indicates that no a priori BV bounds or $L^1$ stability estimates can in general be valid for finite difference schemes.

math.AP↗
arXiv2005

BV instability for the Lax-Friedrichs scheme

It is proved that discrete shock profiles (DSPs) for the Lax-Friedrichs scheme for a system of conservation laws do not necessarily depend continuously in BV on their speed. We construct examples of $2 \times 2$-systems for which there are sequences of DSPs with speeds converging to a rational number. Due to a resonance phenomenon, the difference between the limiting DSP and any DSP in the sequence will contain an order-one amount of variation.

math.AP↗
arXiv2005

Global solutions of the Hunter-Saxton equation

We construct a continuous semigroup of weak, dissipative solutions to a nonlinear partial differential equations modeling nematic liquid crystals. A new distance functional, determined by a problem of optimal transportation, yields sharp estimates on the continuity of solutions with respect to the initial data.

math.AP↗
arXiv2004

On the Blow-up for a Discrete Boltzmann Equation in the Plane

We study the possibility of finite-time blow-up for a two dimensional Broadwell model. In a set of rescaled variables, we prove that no self-similar blow-up solution exists, and derive some a priori bounds on the blow-up rate. In the final section, a possible blow-up scenario is discussed.

math.AP↗