Homogenization limits and Wigner transforms

Patrick Gérard*, Peter A. Markowich, Norbert J. Mauser, Frédéric Poupaud

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

414 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a theory for carrying out homogenization limits for quadratic functions (called "energy densities") of solutions of initial value problems (IVPs) with anti-self-adjoint (spatial) pseudo-differential operators (PDOs). The approach is based on the introduction of phase space Wigner (matrix) measures that are calculated by solving kinetic equations involving the spectral properties of the PDO. The weak limits of the energy densities are then obtained by taking moments of the Wigner measure. The very general theory is illustrated by typical examples like (semi)classical limits of Schrödinger equations (with or without a periodic potential), the homogenization limit of the acoustic equation in a periodic medium, and the classical limit of the Dirac equation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)323-379
Number of pages57
JournalCommunications on Pure and Applied Mathematics
Volume50
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1997
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Mathematics
  • Applied Mathematics

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