Dynamical formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate

We explain how a condensate forms in finite time by a selfsimilar blow-up o f the solution of the relevant quantum Boltzmann kinetic equation for a dil ute quantum Bose gas. The condensate, once it is there, keeps exchanging ma ss with the rest of the distribution until equilibrium is reached, as descr ibed by a version of the kinetic equation that includes the existence of th is condensate. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.