Evolution Equation and Transport Coefficients of Swarms in Initial Relaxation Processes

Abstract

The problem of a swarm approaching the hydrodynamic regime is studied by using the projection operator method. An evolution equation for the density and the related time-dependent transport coefficient are derived. The effects of the initial condition on the transport characteristics of a swarm are separated from the intrinsic evolution of the swarms, and the difference from the continuity equation with time-dependent transport coefficients introduced by Tagashira et al. (1977, 1978) is discussed. To illustrate this method, calculations on the relaxation model collision operator have been carried out. The results are found to agree with the analysis by Robson (1975).