Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory
Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory is a research topic within Applied Mathematics. Science Explorer counts 38k research works in it since 1950. 20.5% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers focuses on mathematical and computational aspects of collisional kinetic theory, with applications to rarefied gas flows, hypersonic aerothermodynamics, and thermal protection systems. It covers topics such as the Boltzmann equation, numerical methods for kinetic equations, gas-surface interactions, microflows, and ablation properties of materials.
- Kinetic Theory
- Boltzmann Equation
- Rarefied Flows
- Numerical Methods
- Thermal Protection Systems
- Hypersonic Flows
- Vlasov Equation
- Gas-Solid Interfaces
- Microflows
- Ablative Materials
- Research works
- 38k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 7.8k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 20.5% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +3% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory research?
By volume, China and the United States publish the most (1.2k and 1k works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 China 1.2k works
- 2 United States 1k works
- 3 Russia 358 works
- 4 France 249 works
- 5 India 241 works
- 6 Germany 203 works
- 7 United Kingdom 136 works
- 8 Italy 127 works
- 9 Japan 127 works
- 10 South Korea 94 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory research?
By volume in 2022–2025, China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center publishes the most Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory research, followed by Northwestern Polytechnical University and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 China Aerodynamics Research and Development CenterChina 52 works
- 2 Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityChina 45 works
- 3 Nanjing University of Aeronautics and AstronauticsChina 44 works
- 4 Beihang UniversityChina 42 works
- 5 Langley Research CenterUnited States 39 works
- 6 University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States 38 works
- 7 National University of Defense TechnologyChina 36 works
- 8 Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityRussia 36 works
- 9 Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)Germany 33 works
- 10 Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityChina 30 works
Who are the leading researchers in Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory include Stanley Osher and Thomas J.R. Hughes.
- 1 Stanley Osher United States 8k citations
- 2 Thomas J.R. Hughes United States 3.7k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory research done?
The largest centres of Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Moscow (Russia), Xi'an (China) and Nanjing (China). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Hampton and Mianyang.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- HamptonUS · 56.5 works143×
- MianyangCN · 59.7 works25×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory than the world average.
Where is the best place to study Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory?
Among universities, judged by research, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Beihang University and National University of Defense Technology score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States | 78.5 | 27.9% | 10.3× | 38 | +202.9% |
| 2 | Beihang UniversityChina | 71.0 | 37.8% | 9.0× | 42 | -2.2% |
| 3 | National University of Defense TechnologyChina | 71.0 | 36.6% | 10.9× | 36 | +12.9% |
| 4 | Southern University of Science and TechnologyChina | 70.3 | 33.0% | 10.6× | 24 | — |
| 5 | Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityChina | 68.8 | 32.3% | 9.2× | 45 | +2.8% |
| 6 | Nanjing University of Aeronautics and AstronauticsChina | 66.1 | 27.4% | 11.4× | 44 | +0.7% |
| 7 | University of Notre DameUnited States | 64.3 | 23.0% | 11.6× | 15 | +262.8% |
| 8 | Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong | 63.9 | 39.6% | 4.0× | 15 | +154.7% |
| 9 | Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityChina | 61.6 | 39.9% | 4.4× | 30 | +86.9% |
| 10 | Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityRussia | 61.3 | 15.5% | 9.9× | 36 | +50.6% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 3% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.