The connections between Dirichlet, regularity and Neumann problems for second order elliptic operators with complex bounded measurable coefficients

The present paper discusses relations between regularity, Dirichlet, and Neumann problems. We investigate the boundary problems for block operators and prove, in particular, that the solvability of the regularity problem does not imply the solvability of the dual Dirichlet problem for general elliptic operators with complex bounded measurable coefficients. This is strikingly different from the case of real operators, for which such an implication was established in 1993 by C. Kenig, J. Pipher [Invent. Math. 113 (3) (1993) 447-509] and since then has served as an integral part of many results.     

Solvability of elliptic systems with square integrable boundary data

We consider second order elliptic divergence form systems with complex measurable coefficients A that are independent of the transversal coordinate, and prove that the set of A for which the boundary value problem with L ₂ Dirichlet or Neumann data is well posed, is an open set. Furthermore we prove that these boundary value problems are well posed when A is either Hermitean, block or constant. Our methods apply to more general systems of partial differential equations and as an example we prove perturbation results for boundary value problems for differential forms.     

Trace formulas for non-self-adjoint periodic Schrödinger operators and some applications

Recently, a trace formula for non-self-adjoint periodic Schrödinger operators in L²(R) associated with Dirichlet eigenvalues was proved in [Differential Integral Equations 14 (2001) 671-700]. Here we prove a corresponding trace formula associated with Neumann eigenvalues. In addition we investigate Dirichlet and Neumann eigenvalues of such operators. In particular, using the Dirichlet and Neumann trace formulas, we provide detailed information on location of the Dirichlet and Neumann eigenvalues for the model operator with the potential Ke2ix, where K∈C.     

Fully nonlinear elliptic equations and the dini condition

Abstract

We investigate transmission problems with strongly Lipschitz interfaces for the Dirac equation by establishing spectral estimates on an associated boundary singular integral operator, the rotation operator. Using Rellich estimates we obtain angular spectral estimates on both the essential and full spectrum for general bi-oblique transmission problems. Specializing to the normal transmission problem, we investigate transmission problems for Maxwell's equations using a nilpotent exterior/interior derivativeoperator. The fundamental commutation properties for this operator with the two basic reflection operators are proved. We show how the L ₂spectral estimates are inherited for the domain of the exterior/interior derivative operator and prove some complementary eigenvalue estimates. Finally we use a general algebraic theorem to prove a regularity property needed for Maxwell's equations.     

Quadratic estimates and functional calculi of perturbed Dirac operators

We prove quadratic estimates for complex perturbations of Dirac-type operators, and thereby show that such operators have a bounded functional calculus. As an application we show that spectral projections of the Hodge–Dirac operator on compact manifolds depend analytically on L_∞ changes in the metric. We also recover a unified proof of many results in the Calderón program, including the Kato square root problem and the boundedness of the Cauchy operator on Lipschitz curves and surfaces.     

Non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrices with a rank-one imaginary part

We develop direct and inverse spectral analysis for finite and semi-infinite non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrices with a rank-one imaginary part. It is shown that given a set of n not necessarily distinct nonreal numbers in the open upper (lower) half-plane uniquely determines an n×n Jacobi matrix with a rank-one imaginary part having those numbers as its eigenvalues counting algebraic multiplicity. Algorithms of reconstruction for such finite Jacobi matrices are presented. A new model complementing the well-known Livsic triangular model for bounded linear operators with a rank-one imaginary part is obtained. It turns out that the model operator is a non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrix. We show that any bounded, prime, non-self-adjoint linear operator with a rank-one imaginary part acting on some finite-dimensional (respectively separable infinite-dimensional Hilbert space) is unitarily equivalent to a finite (respectively semi-infinite) non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrix. This obtained theorem strengthens a classical result of Stone established for self-adjoint operators with simple spectrum. We establish the non-self-adjoint analogs of the Hochstadt and Gesztesy-Simon uniqueness theorems for finite Jacobi matrices with nonreal eigenvalues as well as an extension and refinement of these theorems for finite non-self-adjoint tri-diagonal matrices to the case of mixed eigenvalues, real and nonreal. A unique Jacobi matrix, unitarily equivalent to the operator of integration in the Hilbert space L₂[0,l] is found as well as spectral properties of its perturbations and connections with the well-known Bernoulli numbers. We also give the analytic characterization of the Weyl functions of dissipative Jacobi matrices with a rank-one imaginary part.     

Mixed exterior Laplace's problem

In [C. Amrouche, V. Girault, J. Giroire, Dirichlet and Neumann exterior problems for the n-dimensional Laplace operator. An approach in weighted Sobolev spaces, J. Math. Pures Appl. 76 (1997) 55-81], authors study Dirichlet and Neumann problems for the Laplace operator in exterior domains of Rn. This paper extends this study to the resolution of a mixed exterior Laplace's problem. Here, we give existence, unicity and regularity results in Lp's theory with 1<p<∞, in weighted Sobolev spaces.     

Homogenization of elliptic boundary value problems in Lipschitz domains

In this paper we study the L ^p boundary value problems for \({\mathcal{L}(u)=0}\) in \({\mathbb{R}^{d+1}_+}\) , where \({\mathcal{L}=-{\rm div} (A\nabla )}\) is a second order elliptic operator with real and symmetric coefficients. Assume that A is periodic in x _d+1 and satisfies some minimal smoothness condition in the x _d+1 variable, we show that the L ^p Neumann and regularity problems are uniquely solvable for 1 < p < 2 + δ. We also present a new proof of Dahlberg’s theorem on the L ^p Dirichlet problem for 2 ? δ < p < ∞ (Dahlberg’s original unpublished proof is given in the Appendix). As the periodic and smoothness conditions are imposed only on the x _d+1 variable, these results extend directly from \({\mathbb{R}^{d+1}_+}\) to regions above Lipschitz graphs. Consequently, by localization techniques, we obtain uniform L ^p estimates for the Dirichlet, Neumann and regularity problems on bounded Lipschitz domains for a family of second order elliptic operators arising in the theory of homogenization. The results on the Neumann and regularity problems are new even for smooth domains.     

Fractional powers of operators corresponding to coercive problems in Lipschitz domains

Let Ω be a bounded Lipschitz domain in ? ⁿ , n ? 2, and let L be a second-order matrix strongly elliptic operator in Ω written in divergence form. There is a vast literature dealing with the study of domains of fractional powers of operators corresponding to various problems (beginning with the Dirichlet and Neumann problems) with homogeneous boundary conditions for the equation Lu = f, including the solution of the Kato square root problem, which arose in 1961. Mixed problems and a class of problems for higher-order systems have been covered as well. We suggest a new abstract approach to the topic, which permits one to obtain the results that we deem to be most important in a much simpler and unified way and cover new operators, namely, classical boundary operators on the Lipschitz boundary Γ = ?Ω or part of it. To this end, we simultaneously consider two well-known operators associated with the boundary value problem.     

To the theory of the Dirichlet and Neumann problems for strongly elliptic systems in Lipschitz domains

For strongly elliptic Systems with Douglis-Nirenberg structure, we investigate the regularity of variational solutions to the Dirichlet and Neumann problems in a bounded Lipschitz domain. The solutions of the problems with homogeneous boundary conditions are originally defined in the simplest L ₂-Sobolev spaces H ^σ . The regularity results are obtained in the potential spaces H _p ^σ and Besov spaces B _p ^σ . In the case of second-order Systems, the author’s results obtained a year ago are strengthened. The Dirichlet problem with nonhomogeneous boundary conditions is considered with the use of Whitney arrays.     

Second-order properly elliptic boundary value problems on irregular plane domains

Conditions are presented under which properly elliptic second-order boundary value problems are well posed on irregular plane domains. The coefficients can be discontinuous. The results include known results for coercive forms, and also reduce to known results on proper ellipticity when the coefficients and domain are smooth. The main tool is an “inverse five-lemma” which relates the Neumann problem on a plane domain to a related modified Dirichlet problem. This inverse five-lemma can be used in a variety of settings. We show how it can be used to translate results of Grisvard on the index of Dirichlet operators in Sobolev spaces $\text{H}{}^{\mathrm{s}}\text{(Ω)}$ to results on Neumann operators, and examine the implications for regularity.     

Pointwise estimates for Green's kernel of a mixed boundary value problem to the Stokes system in a polyhedral cone

The paper deals with a mixed boundary value problem for the Stokes system in a polyhedral cone. Here different boundary conditions (in particular, Dirichlet, Neumann, free surface conditions) are prescribed on the sides of the polyhedron. The authors obtain regularity results for weak solutions in weighted L ₂ Sobolev spaces and prove point estimates of Green's matrix. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pseudodifferential operators on Bochner spaces and an application

We consider pseudodifferential operators with operator valued symbols a(x,ξ) acting on a UMD Banach space X. Assuming some regularity of Hölder type in x and Mihlin type in ξ we prove L _p (? ⁿ ;X) boundedness of such operators. This result is then applied to the study of L _p -maximal regularity for nonautonomous parabolic evolution equations.     

Norm inequalities in operator ideals

In this paper we introduce a new technique for proving norm inequalities in operator ideals with a unitarily invariant norm. Among the well-known inequalities which can be proved with this technique are the Löwner-Heinz inequality, inequalities relating various operator means and the Corach-Porta-Recht inequality. We prove two general inequalities and from them we derive several inequalities by specialization, many of them new. We also show how some inequalities, known to be valid for matrices or bounded operators, can be extended with this technique to normed ideals in C^∗-algebras, in particular to the noncommutative Lp-spaces of a semi-finite von Neumann algebra.     

On the spectrum of well-defined restrictions and extensions for the Laplace operator

The study of the spectral properties of operators generated by differential equations of hyperbolic or parabolic type with Cauchy initial data involve, as a rule, Volterra boundary-value problems that are well posed. But Hadamard’s example shows that the Cauchy problem for the Laplace equation is ill posed. At present, not a single Volterra well-defined restriction or extension for elliptic-type equations is known. Thus, the following question arises: Does there exist a Volterra well-defined restriction of a maximal operator $\hat L$ or a Volterra well-defined extension of a minimal operator L ₀ generated by the Laplace operator? In the present paper, for a wide class of well-defined restrictions of the maximal operator $\hat L$ and of well-defined extensions of the minimal operator L ₀ generated by the Laplace operator, we prove a theorem stating that they cannot be Volterra.     

Interpolation of positive operators

We study problems of interpolation of positive linear operators in couples of ordered Banach spaces. From this viewpoint, we study couples of noncommutative spaces L ₁, L _∞ associated with weights and traces on von Neumann algebras.     

Expansions of Dirichlet to Neumann operators under perturbations

We obtain an asymptotic expansion of the Dirichlet to Neumann operator (DNO) for the Dirichlet problem on perturbations of the unit disk. We write our result in terms of pseudodifferential operators which themselves have expansions in the perturbation parameter. For a given power of the perturbation parameter, m > 0, and a given order, n < 0, we give an algorithm which allows for the expansion of the symbol of the DNO up to mth power in the perturbation parameter, with error terms belonging to symbols of order n.     

Exterior problems in the half-space for the Laplace operator in weighted Sobolev spaces

The purpose of this work is to solve exterior problems in the half-space for the Laplace operator. We give existence and unicity results in weighted Lp's theory with 1<p<∞. This paper extends the studies done in [C. Amrouche, V. Girault, J. Giroire, Dirichlet and Neumann exterior problems for the n-dimensional Laplace operator, an approach in weighted Sobolev spaces, J. Math. Pures Appl. 76 (1) (1997) 55-81] with Dirichlet and Neumann conditions.     

Using Root Functions for Eigenvalue Problems of Ordinary Differential Operators

We study eigenvalue problems for an ordinary differential operator L acting on L ₂(?)-spaces (Problem 1) and on L ₂(J)-spaces (Problem 2). Here J is a bounded but large interval. Assuming that in Problem 1 the spectral parameter s lies in the set of normal points of L, we show that the structure of eigenspaces for both problems is similar to the structure of finite complex-valued matrices. In the case of a finite matrix, the geometry of eigenspaces is described by the Jordan form. In the case of ordinary differential operators, the corresponding geometry is described by a sequence of root functions. Therefore, the main tool of our studies is root functions for complex-valued analytical matrix functions.     

A family of degenerate elliptic operators: Maximum principle and its consequences

In this paper we investigate the validity and the consequences of the maximum principle for degenerate elliptic operators whose higher order term is the sum of k eigenvalues of the Hessian. In particular we shed some light on some very unusual phenomena due to the degeneracy of the operator. We prove moreover Lipschitz regularity results and boundary estimates under convexity assumptions on the domain. As a consequence we obtain the existence of solutions of the Dirichlet problem and of principal eigenfunctions.