Linear relativistic thermoelastic rod.

We derive and analyze the linearized hyperbolic equations describing a relativistic heat-conducting elastic rod. We construct a decreasing energy integral for these equations, compute the associated characteristic propagation speeds, and prove that the solutions decay in time by using a Fourier decomposition. For comparison purposes, we obtain analogous results for the classical system with heat waves, in which the finite propagation speed of heat is kept but the other relativistic terms are neglected, and also for the usual classical system.