Speaker:Maria Gualdani, George Washington University
Title: Factorization of non-symmetric operators and exponential h-theorem

Abstract: We present an abstract method for deriving decay estimates on the resolvents of non-symmetric operators in Banach spaces in terms of estimates in another – typically smaller – reference Hilbert space. We then apply this approach to several equations of statistical physics, such as the Fokker-Planck equation and the linear and non-linear Boltzmann equation. The main outcome of the method is the first constructive proof of exponential decay towards global equilibrium for the fully nonlinear Boltzmann equation for hard spheres, conditionally to some smoothness assumptions. This is a joint work with Stephane Mischler and Clement Mouhot.

Time: Friday, November 16, 2012, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Place: Planetary Hall (formerly S & T I), Room 242

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