On the energy dissipation rate of solutions to the compressible isentropic Euler system

Abstract

In this paper we extend and complement some recent results by Chiodaroli, De Lellis and Kreml on the well-posedness issue for weak solutions of the compressible isentropic Euler system in $2$ space dimensions with pressure law $p(\rho)=\rho^\gamma$, $\gamma \geq 1$. First we show that every Riemann problem whose one-dimensional self-similar solution consists of two shocks admits also infinitely many two-dimensional admissible bounded weak solutions (not containing vacuum) generated by the method of De Lellis and Sz\'ekelyhidi. Moreover we prove that for some of these Riemann problems and for $1\leq \gamma < 3$ such solutions have greater energy dissipation rate than the self-similar solution emanating from the same Riemann data. We therefore show that the maximal dissipation criterion proposed by Dafermos does not favour the classical self-similar solutions.