On the one-dimensional piston model with Large Velocity Variations

Abstract

This paper investigates the dynamics of a one-dimensional piston expanding into a static rarefied gas. Using asymptotic analysis in the limit of vanishing initial density, we derive sharp estimates for the piston-shock distance, the separation of characteristic speeds, and the reflection coefficient associated with characteristic waves interacting with the leading shock front. Based on these estimates, we apply the method of characteristics to prove the global-in-time existence of piecewise smooth solutions. The resulting flow structure exhibits significant velocity variations. The analysis reveals a stable mechanism that operates in the vanishing-density limit of the piston model.