We study some questions related to general discrete velocity (with arbitrarily number of velocities) models (DVMs) of the Boltzmann equation. In the case of plane stationary problems the typical DVM reduces to a dynamical system (system of ODEs). Properties of such systems are studied in the most general case. In particular, a topological classification of their singular points is made and dimensions of the corresponding stable, unstable and center manifolds are computed. These results are applied to typical half-space problems of rarefied gas dynamics, including the problems of Milne and Kramer. A classification of well-posed half-space problems for linearized DVMs is made. Exact solutions of a (simplified) linearized kinetic model of BGK type are found as a limiting case of the corresponding discrete models. Existence of solutions of weakly non-linear half-space problems for general DVMs are studied. The solutions are assumed to tend to an assigned Maxwellian at infinity, and the data for the outgoing particles at the boundary are assigned, possibly depending on the data for the incoming particles. The conditions, on the data at the boundary, needed for the existence of a unique (in a neighborhood of the assigned Maxwellian) solution of the problem are investigated. Both implicit, in the non-degenerate cases, and sometimes, in both degenerate and non-degenerate cases, explicit conditions are found. Shock-waves can be seen as heteroclinic orbits connecting two singular points (Maxwellians) for DVMs. We give a constructive proof for the existence of solutions of the shock-wave problem for the general DVM. This is worked out for shock speeds close to a typical speed, corresponding to the sound speed in the continuous case. We clarify how close the shock speed must be for our theorem to hold, and present an iteration scheme for obtaining the solution. The main results of the paper can be used for DVMs for mixtures as well as for DVMs for one species.

In this thesis, two methods to model quantum well lasers will be examined. The first model is based on well-known techniques to determine some of the spectral and dynamical properties of the laser. For the spectral properties, an expression for TE and TM modal amplitude gain is derived. For the dynamical properties, the rate equations are shown. The spectral and dynamical properties can be examined separately for specific operating characteristics or used in conjunction with each other for a complete description of the laser. Examples will be shown to demonstrate some of the analysis and results that can be obtained. The second model used is based on Wigner functions and the quantum Boltzmann equation. It is derived from general non-equilibrium Greens functions with the application of the Kadanoff-Baym ansatz. This model is less phenomenological than the previous model and does not require the separation of physical processes such as the former spectral and dynamical properties. It therefore has improved predictive power for the performance of novel laser designs. To the Author's knowledge, this is the first time such a model has been formulated. The quantum Boltzmann equations will be derived and some calculations will be performed for a simplified system in order to illustrate some calculation techniques as well as results that can be obtained.

The distribution of particles in a rarefied gas in a vessel can be described by the Boltzmann equation. As an approximation of the solution to this equation, Caprino, Pulvirenti and Wagner [3] constructed a random N-particle system. In the equilibrium case, they prove in [3] that the L1-distance between the density function of k particles in the N-particle process and the k-fold product of the solution to the stationary Boltzmann equation is of order 1/N. They do this in order to show that the N-particle system converges to the system described by the stationary Boltzmann equation as the number of particles tends to infinity. This is different from the standard approach of describing convergence of an N-particle system. Usually, convergence in distribution of random measures or weak convergence of measures over the space of probability measures is used. The purpose of the present thesis is to compare different modes of convergence of the N-particle system as N tends to infinity assuming stationarity.

We explore the capability of lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) method for complex fluid flows involving turbulence, mixing, and reaction. In the first study, LBE schemes for binary scalar mixing and multi-component reacting flow with reactions are developed. Simulations of initially non-premixed mixtures yield scalar probability distribution functions that are in good agreement with numerical data obtained from Navier-Stokes (NS) equation based computation. One-dimensional chemically-reacting flow simulation of a premixed mixture yields a flame speed that is consistent with experimentally determined value. The second study involves direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large-eddy simulation (LES) of decaying homogenous isotropic turbulence (HIT) with and without frame rotation. Three categories of simulations are performed: (i) LBE-DNS in both inertial and rotating frames; (ii) LBE-LES in inertial frame; (iii) Comparison of the LBE-LES vs. NS-LES. The LBE-DNS results of the decay exponents for kinetic energy k and dissipation rate ε, and the low wave-number scaling of the energy spectrum agree well with established classical results. The LBE-DNS also captures rotating turbulence physics. The LBE-LES accurately captures low-wave number scaling, energy decay and large scale structures. The comparisons indicate that the LBE-LES simulations preserve flow structures somewhat more accurately than the NS-LES counterpart. In the third study, we numerically investigate the near-field mixing features in low aspect-ratio (AR) rectangular turbulent jets (RTJ) using the LBE method. We use D3Q19 multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) LBE incorporating a subgrid Smagorinsky model for LES. Simulations of four jets which characterized by AR, exit velocity, and Reynolds number are performed. The investigated near-field behaviors include: (1) Decay of mean streamwise velocity (MSV) and inverse MSV; (2) Spanwise and lateral profiles of MSV; (3) Half-velocity width development and MSV contours; and (4) Streamwise turbulence intensity distribution and spanwise profiles of streamwise turbulence intensity. The computations are compared against experimental data and the agreement is good. We capture both unique features of RTJ: the saddle-back spanwise profile of MSV and axis-switching of long axis from spanwise to lateral direction. Overall, this work serves to establish the feasibility of the LBE method as a viable tool for computing mixing, combustion, and turbulence.

In this dissertation, we study the evolution and properties of the relic (or cosmic) neutrino distribution from neutrino freeze-out at T=O(1) MeV through the free-streaming era up to today, focusing on the deviation of the neutrino spectrum from equilibrium and in particular we demonstrate the presence of chemical non-equilibrium that continues to the present day. The work naturally separates into two parts. The first focuses on aspects of the relic neutrinos that can be explored using conservation laws. The second part studies the neutrino distribution using the full general relativistic Boltzmann equation. Part one begins with an overview of the history of the Universe, from just prior to neutrino freeze-out up through the present day, placing the history of cosmic neutrino evolution in its proper context. Motivated by the Planck CMB measurements of the effective number of neutrinos, we derive those properties of neutrino freeze-out that depend only on conservation laws and are independent of the details of the scattering processes. Part one ends with a characterization of the present day neutrino spectrum as seen from Earth. The second part of this dissertation focuses on the properties of cosmic neutrinos that depend on the details of the neutrino reactions, as is necessary for modeling the non-thermal distortions from equilibrium and computing freeze-out temperatures. We first develop some geometry background concerning volume forms and integration on submanifolds that is helpful in computations. We then detail a new spectral method for solving the Boltzmann equation, based on a dynamical basis of orthogonal polynomials. Next, we detail an improved procedure for analytically simplifying the corresponding scattering integrals for subsequent numerical computation. Using this, along with the spectral method mentioned above, we solve the Boltzmann equation through the neutrino freeze-out period. Finally, we conclude by using our novel solution methods to perform parametric studies of the dependence of the neutrino freeze-out standard model parameters. This exploration is performed with the aim of recognizing mechanisms in the neutrino freeze-out process that are capable of leading to the measured value of the effective number of neutrinos.

In this thesis we consider mathematical problems related to different aspects of hard sphere systems. In the first part we study planar billiards, which arise in the context of hard sphere systems when only one or two spheres are present. In particular we investigate the possibility of elliptic periodic orbits in the general construction of hyperbolic billiards. We show that if non-absolutely focusing components are present there can be elliptic periodic orbits with arbitrarily long free paths. Furthermore, we show that smooth stadium like billiards have elliptic periodic orbits for a large range of separation distances. In the second part we consider hard sphere systems with a large number of particles, which we model by the Boltzmann equation. We develop a new approach to derive hydrodynamic limits, which is based on classical methods of geometric singular perturbation theory of ordinary differential equations. This method provides new geometric and dynamical interpretations of hydrodynamic limits, in particular, for the of the dissipative Boltzmann equation.

学位授与大学：京都大学 ; 取得学位: 博士(工学) ; 学位授与年月日: 2007-09-25 ; 学位の種類: 新制・課程博士 ; 学位記番号: 工博第2860号 ; 請求記号: 新制/工/1420 ; 整理番号: 25545 / Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第13389号 / 工博第2860号 / 新制||工||1420(附属図書館) / 25545 / UT51-2007-Q790 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科航空宇宙工学専攻 / (主査)教授 青木 一生, 教授 稲室 隆二, 教授 斧 髙一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

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