Geometry of quasilinear hyperbolic systems with characteristic fields of constant multiplicity ✩

In this paper, we study the regularity of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors and the existence of normalized coordinates for quasilinear hyperbolic systems with characteristic fields of constant multiplicity. We prove that the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the system have the same regularity as the coefficients of the system. On the other hand, we show that, for the quasilinear hyperbolic system of conservation laws with characteristic fields of constant multiplicity, the normalized coordinates exist on the domain under consideration. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved