A minimum entropy principle in the gas dynamics equations

Abstract

Let u(x bar,t) be a weak solution of the Euler equations, governing the inviscid polytropic gas dynamics; in addition, u(x bar, t) is assumed to respect the usual entropy conditions connected with the conservative Euler equations. We show that such entropy solutions of the gas dynamics equations satisfy a minimum entropy principle, namely, that the spatial minimum of their specific entropy, (Ess inf s(u(x,t)))/x, is an increasing function of time. This principle equally applies to discrete approximations of the Euler equations such as the Godunov-type and Lax-Friedrichs schemes. Our derivation of this minimum principle makes use of the fact that there is a family of generalized entrophy functions connected with the conservative Euler equations.