Carleman estimates for degenerate parabolic operators with applications to null controllability

We prove an estimate of Carleman type for the one dimensional heat equation $$ u_t - \left( {a\left( x \right)u_x } \right)_x + c\left( {t,x} \right)u = h\left( {t,x} \right),\quad \left( {t,x} \right) \in \left( {0,T} \right) \times \left( {0,1} \right), $$ where a(·) is degenerate at 0. Such an estimate is derived for a special pseudo-convex weight function related to the degeneracy rate of a(·). Then, we study the null controllability on [0, 1] of the semilinear degenerate parabolic equation $$ u_t - \left( {a\left( x \right)u_x } \right)_x + f\left( {t,x,u} \right) = h\left( {t,x} \right)\chi _\omega \left( x \right), $$ where (t, x) ∈(0, T) × (0, 1), ω=(α, β) ⊂⊂ [0, 1], and f is locally Lipschitz with respect to u. Dedicated to Giuseppe Da Prato on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Carleman estimates for semi-discrete parabolic operators and application to the controllability of semi-linear semi-discrete parabolic equations

In arbitrary dimension, in the discrete setting of finite-differences we prove a Carleman estimate for a semi-discrete parabolic operator, in which the large parameter is connected to the mesh size. This estimate is applied for the derivation of a (relaxed) observability estimate, that yield some controlability results for semi-linear semi-discrete parabolic equations. Sub-linear and super-linear cases are considered.     

Local and global Carleman estimates for parabolic operators with coefficients with jumps at interfaces

In (0,T)×Ω, Ω open subset of ? ⁿ , n≥2, we consider a parabolic operator P=? _t ?? _x δ(t,x)? _x , where the (scalar) coefficient δ(t,x) is piecewise smooth in space yet discontinuous across a smooth interface S. We prove a global in time, local in space Carleman estimate for P in the neighborhood of any point of the interface. The “observation” region can be chosen independently of the sign of the jump of the coefficient δ at the considered point. The derivation of this estimate relies on the separation of the problem into three microlocal regions related to high and low tangential frequencies at the interface. In the high-frequency regime we use Calderón projectors. In the low-frequency regime we follow a more classical approach. Because of the parabolic nature of the problem we need to introduce Weyl-Hörmander anisotropic metrics, symbol classes and pseudo-differential operators. Each frequency regime and the associated technique require a different calculus. A global in time and space Carleman estimate on (0,T)×M, M a manifold, is also derived from the local result.     

Carleman estimates and inverse problems for Dirac operators

We consider limiting Carleman weights for Dirac operators and prove corresponding Carleman estimates. In particular, we show that limiting Carleman weights for the Laplacian also serve as limiting weights for Dirac operators. As an application we consider the inverse problem of recovering a Lipschitz continuous magnetic field and electric potential from boundary measurements for the Pauli Dirac operator. M. Salo is supported by the Academy of Finland. L. Tzou is supported by the Doctoral Post-Graduate Scholarship from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. This article was written while L. Tzou was visiting the University of Helsinki and TKK, whose hospitality is gratefully acknowledged. The authors would like to thank András Vasy and Lauri Ylinen for useful comments.     

Carleman estimate for parabolic equation with memory effects and exact controllability

A nonlinear parabolic problem with memory effect is considered. We first establish a Carleman type estimate for a linear problem which is the adjoint of a suitable linearization of the nonlinear problem. As a consequence of this estimate we obtain an observability estimate. Then we establish the exact controllability of the linearized system with distributed control over a subdomain. Finally, we arrive at the controllability of the nonlinear system via a classical fixed point theorem. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Flatness and null controllability of 1-D parabolic equations

We present a recent result on null controllability of one-dimensional linear parabolic equations with boundary control. The space-varying coefficients in the equation can be fairly irregular, in particular they can present discontinuities, degeneracies or singularities at some isolated points; the boundary conditions at both ends are of generalized Robin-Neumann type. Given any (fairly irregular) initial condition θ₀ and any final time T, we explicitly construct an open-loop control which steers the system from θ₀ at time 0 to the final state 0 at time T. This control is very regular (namely Gevrey of order s with 1 < s < 2); it is simply zero till some (arbitrary) intermediate time τ, so as to take advantage of the smoothing effect due to diffusion, and then given by a series from τ to the final time T. We illustrate the effectiveness of the approach on a nontrivial numerical example, namely a degenerate heat equation with control at the degenerate side. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Carleman estimates for parabolic equations with interior degeneracy and Neumann boundary conditions

Density of Lipschitz functions in Newtonian spaces based on quasi-Banach function lattices is discussed. Newtonian spaces are first-order Sobolevtype spaces on abstract metric measure spaces defined via (weak) upper gradients. Our main focus lies on metric spaces with a doubling measure that support a Poincaré inequality. Absolute continuity of the function lattice quasi-norm is shown to be crucial for approximability by (locally) Lipschitz functions. The proof of the density result uses, among other facts, the fact that a suitable maximal operator is locally weakly bounded. In particular, various sufficient conditions for such boundedness on quasi-Banach function lattices (and rearrangement-invariant spaces, in particular) are established and applied.     

Carleman estimates for stochastic parabolic equations with Neumann boundary conditions and applications

By a dual method, two Carleman estimates for forward and backward stochastic parabolic equations with Neumann boundary conditions are established. Then they are used to study a null controllability problem and a state observation problem for some stochastic forward parabolic equations with Neumann boundary conditions.     

Carleman estimates and controllability results for the one-dimensional heat equation with BV coefficients

We derive global Carleman estimates for one-dimensional linear parabolic equations t_∂±x_∂(cx_∂) with a coefficient of bounded variations. These estimates are obtained by approximating c by piecewise constant coefficients, cε, and passing to the limit in the Carleman estimates associated to the operators defined with cε. Such estimates yields observability inequalities for the considered linear parabolic equation, which, in turn, yield controllability results for classes of semilinear equations.     

A global Carleman inequality and exact controllability of parabolic equations with mixed boundary conditions

This paper establishes a global Carleman inequality of parabolic equations with mixed boundary conditions and an estimate of the solution. Further, we prove exact controllability of the equation by controls acting on an arbitrarily given subdomain or subboundary.     

Gradient estimates in generalized Morrey spaces for parabolic operators

We obtain global regularity in generalized Morrey spaces for the gradient of the weak solutions to divergence form linear parabolic operators with measurable data. Assuming partial BMO smallness of the coefficients and Reifenberg flatness of the boundary of the underlying domain, we develop a Calderón‐Zygmund type theory for such operators. Problems like the considered here arise in the modeling of composite materials and in the mechanics of membranes and films of simple nonhomogeneous materials which form a linear laminated medium.     

Carleman estimates for stratified media

We consider anisotropic elliptic and parabolic operators in a bounded stratified media in Rn characterized by discontinuities of the coefficients in one direction. The surfaces of discontinuities cross the boundary of the domain. We prove Carleman estimates for these operators with an arbitrary observation region.     

Strichartz estimates for parabolic equations with higher order differential operators

The present paper first obtains Strichartz estimates for parabolic equations with nonnegative elliptic operators of order 2m by using both the abstract Strichartz estimates of Keel-Tao and the Hardy-LittlewoodSobolev inequality. Some conclusions can be viewed as the improvements of the previously known ones. Furthermore, an endpoint homogeneous Strichartz estimates on BMOx(Rn) and a parabolic homogeneous Strichartz estimate are proved. Meanwhile, the Strichartz estimates to the Sobolev spaces and Besov spaces are generalized. Secondly, the local well-posedness and small global well-posedness of the Cauchy problem for the semilinear parabolic equations with elliptic operators of order 2m, which has a potential V(t, x) satisfying appropriate integrable conditions, are established. Finally, the local and global existence and uniqueness of regular solutions in spatial variables for the higher order elliptic Navier-Stokes system with initial data in Lr(Rn) is proved.