Global classical solutions of the Boltzmann equation without angular cut-off

Abstract:

This work proves the global stability of the Boltzmann equation (1872) with the physical collision kernels derived by Maxwell in 1866 for the full range of inverse-power intermolecular potentials, $r^{-(p-1)}$ with $p>2$, for initial perturbations of the Maxwellian equilibrium states, as announced in an earlier paper by the authors. We more generally cover collision kernels with parameters $s\in (0,1)$ and $\gamma$ satisfying $\gamma > -n$ in arbitrary dimensions $\mathbb {T}^n \times \mathbb {R}^n$ with $n\ge 2$. Moreover, we prove rapid convergence as predicted by the celebrated Boltzmann $H$-theorem. When $\gamma \ge -2s$, we have exponential time decay to the Maxwellian equilibrium states. When $\gamma <-2s$, our solutions decay polynomially fast in time with any rate. These results are completely constructive. Additionally, we prove sharp constructive upper and lower bounds for the linearized collision operator in terms of a geometric fractional Sobolev norm; we thus observe that a spectral gap exists only when $\gamma \ge -2s$, as conjectured by Mouhot and Strain. It will be observed that this fundamental equation, derived by both Boltzmann and Maxwell, grants a basic example where a range of geometric fractional derivatives occur in a physical model of the natural world. Our methods provide a new understanding of the grazing collisions in the Boltzmann theory.