Bulletin of the
Korean Mathematical Society BKMS

In this note, we consider the Riemann problem for a two-dimensional nonstrictly hyperbolic system of conservation laws. Without the restriction that each jump of the initial data projects one planar elementary wave, six topologically distinct solutions are constructed by applying the generalized characteristic analysis method, in which the delta shock waves and the vacuum states appear. Moreover we demonstrate that the nature of our solutions is identical with that of solutions to the corresponding one-dimensional Cauchy problem, which provides a verification that our construction produces the correct global solutions.

Keywords: Riemann problem, generalized characteristic analysis, delta shock wave, vacuum state

MSC numbers: 35L65, 35L67, 76N15