Existence of self-similar profile for a kinetic annihilation model

Abstract

We show the existence of a self-similar solution for a modified Boltzmann equation describing probabilistic ballistic annihilation. Such a model describes a system of hard-spheres such that, whenever two particles meet, they either annihilate with probability $\alpha \in (0,1)$ or they undergo an elastic collision with probability $1 - \alpha$. For such a model, the number of particles, the linear momentum and the kinetic energy are not conserved. We show that, for $\alpha$ smaller than some explicit threshold value $ \alpha_*$, a self-similar solution exists.