Symmetric form for the hyperbolic-parabolic system of fourth-gradient fluid model

Abstract

The fourth-gradient model for fluids-associated with an extended molecular mean-field theory of capillarity-is considered. By producing fluctuations of density near the critical point like in computational molecular dynamics, the model is more realistic and richer than van der Waals' one and other models associated with a second order expansion. The aim of the paper is to prove-with a fourth-gradient internal energy already obtained by the mean field theory-that the quasi-linear system of conservation laws can be written in an Hermitian symmetric form implying the stability of constant solutions. The result extends the symmetric hyperbolicity property of governing-equations' systems when an equation of energy associated with high order deformation of a continuum medium is taken into account.