  This paper presents an asymptotic analysis of the Boltzmann equations
(Riccati differential equations) that describe the physics of thermal
dark-matter-relic abundances. Two different asymptotic techniques are used,
boundary-layer theory, which makes use of asymptotic matching, and the delta
expansion, which is a powerful technique for solving nonlinear differential
equations. Two different Boltzmann equations are considered. The first is
derived from general relativistic considerations and the second arises in
dilatonic string cosmology. The global asymptotic analysis presented here is
used to find the long-time behavior of the solutions to these equations. In the
first case the nature of the so-called freeze-out region and the
post-freeze-out behavior is explored. In the second case the effect of the
dilaton on cold dark-matter abundances is calculated and it is shown that there
is a large-time power-law fall off of the dark-matter abundance. Corrections to
the power-law behavior are also calculated.
