Consider the initial value problem for the so-called Liouville equation
ft+v⋅∇xf−∇V(x)⋅∇vf=0,(x,v)∈R2d,t∈Rf(x,v,t=0)=fI(x,v)
for the function f=f(x,v,t) on R2d×R. Assume that V=V(x) is a given function with V,∇xV Lipschitz continuous on Rd.
(i) Let fI(x,v)=δ(x−x0,v−v0), for x0,v0∈Rd given. Show that a solution f is given by
f(x,v,t)=δ(x−x^(t,x0,v0),v−v^(t,x0,v0))
where (x^,v^) solve the Newtonian system
x^˙=v^,v^˙=−∇V(x^),x^(t=0)=x0v^(t=0)=v0
(ii) Let fI∈Lloc1(R2d),fI⩾0. Prove (by using characteristics) that f remains nonnegative (as long as it exists).
(iii) Let fI∈Lp(R2d),fI⩾0 on R2d. Show (by a formal argument) that
∥f(⋅,⋅,t)∥Lp(R2d)=∥fI∥Lp(R2d)
for all t∈R,1⩽p<∞.
(iv) Let V(x)=21∣x∣2. Use the method of characteristics to solve the initial value problem for general initial data.