BGK and Fokker-Planck models of the Boltzmann equation for gases with discrete levels of vibrational energy

Abstract

We propose two models of the Boltzmann equation (BGK and Fokker-Planck models) for rarefied flows of diatomic gases in vibrational non-equilibrium. These models take into account the discrete repartition of vibration energy modes, which is required for high temperature flows, like for atmospheric re-entry problems. We prove that these models satisfy conservation and entropy properties (H-theorem), and we derive their corresponding compressible Navier-Stokes asymptotics.