On propagation of higher space regularity for nonlinear Vlasov equations

Abstract

This work is concerned with the broad question of propagation of regularity for smooth solutions to nonlinear Vlasov equations. For a class of equations (that includes Vlasov–Poisson and relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell systems), we prove that higher regularity in space is propagated, locally in time, into higher regularity for the moments in velocity of the solution. This in turn can be translated into some anisotropic Sobolev higher regularity for the solution itself, which can be interpreted as a kind of weak propagation of space regularity. To this end, we adapt the methods introduced by D. Han-Kwan and F. Rousset (Ann. Sci. École Norm. Sup. 49:6 (2016) 1445–1495) in the context of the quasineutral limit of the Vlasov–Poisson system.