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We examine an infinite, linear system of ordinary differential equations that models the evolution of fragmenting clusters, where each cluster is assumed to be composed of identical units. In contrast to previous investigations into such discrete-size fragmentation models, we allow the fragmentation coefficients to vary with time. By formulating the initial-value problem for the system as a non-autonomous abstract Cauchy problem, posed in an appropriately weighted $\ell^1$ space, and then applying results from the theory of evolution families, we prove the existence and uniqueness of physically relevant, classical solutions for suitably constrained coefficients., Comment: to appear in "Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems - Series S

We investigate an infinite, linear system of ordinary differential equations that models the evolution of fragmenting clusters. We assume that each cluster is composed of identical units (monomers) and we allow mass to be lost, gained or conserved during each fragmentation event. By formulating the initial-value problem for the system as an abstract Cauchy problem (ACP), posed in an appropriate weighted $\ell^1$ space, and then applying perturbation results from the theory of operator semigroups, we prove the existence and uniqueness of physically relevant, classical solutions for a wide class of initial cluster distributions. Additionally, we establish that it is always possible to identify a weighted $\ell^1$ space on which the fragmentation semigroup is analytic, which immediately implies that the corresponding ACP is well posed for any initial distribution belonging to this particular space. We also investigate the asymptotic behaviour of solutions, and show that, under appropriate restrictions on the fragmentation coefficients, solutions display the expected long-term behaviour of converging to a purely monomeric steady state. Moreover, when the fragmentation semigroup is analytic, solutions are shown to decay to this steady state at an explicitly defined exponential rate., Comment: to appear in "Journal of Evolution Equations"