Global existence of entropy-weak solutions to the compressible Navier–Stokes equations with non-linear density dependent viscosities

In this paper, we extend considerably the global existence results of entropy-weak solutions related to compressible Navier-Stokes system with density dependent viscosities obtained, independently (using different strategies), by Vasseur-Yu [Inventiones mathematicae (2016) and arXiv:1501.06803 (2015)] and by Li-Xin [arXiv:1504.06826 (2015)].More precisely we are able to consider a physical symmetric viscous stress tensor $\sigma=2\mu(\rho)\,{\mathbb{D}}(u)+\bigl(\lambda(\rho){\rm div}u -P(\rho)\bigr)\, {\rm Id}$ where ${\mathbb D}(u) = [\nabla u + \nabla^T u]/2$ with a shear and bulk viscosities (respectively $\mu(\rho)$ and $\lambda(\rho)$) satisfying the BD relation $\lambda(\rho)=2(\mu'(\rho)\rho - \mu(\rho))$ and a pressure law $P(\rho)=a\rho^\gamma$ (with $a>0$ a given constant) for any adiabatic constant $\gamma>1$. The nonlinear shear viscosity $\mu(\rho)$ satisfies some lower and upper bounds for low and high densities (our mathematical result includes the case $\mu(\rho)= \mu\rho^\alpha$ with $2/3 0$ constant). This provides an answer to a longstanding mathematical question on compressible Navier-Stokes equations with density dependent viscosities as mentioned for instance by F. Rousset in the Bourbaki 69eme annee, 2016--2017, no 1135.