On the Well-posedness of the Ideal MHD Equations in the Triebel–Lizorkin Spaces

In this paper, we prove the local well-posedness for the ideal MHD equations in the Triebel–Lizorkin spaces and obtain a blow-up criterion of smooth solutions. Specifically, we fill a gap in a step of the proof of the local well-posedness part for the incompressible Euler equation in Chae (Comm Pure Appl Math 55:654–678 2002).     

On the application of the Wiener–Hopf technique to problems in dynamic elasticity

Many problems in linear elastodynamics, or dynamic fracture mechanics, can be reduced to Wiener–Hopf functional equations defined in a strip in a complex transform plane. Apart from a few special cases, the inherent coupling between shear and compressional body motions gives rise to coupled systems of equations, and so the resulting Wiener–Hopf kernels are of matrix form. The key step in the solution of a Wiener–Hopf equation, which is to decompose the kernel into a product of two factors with particular analyticity properties, can be accomplished explicitly for scalar kernels. However, apart from special matrices which yield commutative factorizations, no procedure has yet been devised to factorize exactly general matrix kernels.

This paper shall demonstrate, by way of example, that the Wiener–Hopf approximant matrix (WHAM) procedure for obtaining approximate factors of matrix kernels (recently introduced by the author in [SIAM J. Appl. Math. 57 (2) (1997) 541]) is applicable to the class of matrix kernels found in elasticity, and in particular to problems in QNDE. First, as a motivating example, the kernel arising in the model of diffraction of skew incident elastic waves on a semi-infinite crack in an isotropic elastic space is studied. This was first examined in a seminal work by Achenbach and Gautesen [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 61 (2) (1977) 413] and here three methods are offered for deriving distinct non-commutative factorizations of the kernel. Second, the WHAM method is employed to factorize the matrix kernel arising in the problem of radiation into an elastic half-space with mixed boundary conditions on its face. Third, brief mention is made of kernel factorization related to the problems of flexural wave diffraction by a crack in a thin (Mindlin) plate, and body wave scattering by an interfacial crack.     

Stability of Viscous Profiles: Proofs Via Dichotomies

In this paper we give a self-contained approach to a nonlinear stability result, as t → ∞, for a viscous profile corresponding to a strong shock of a system of conservation laws. The initial perturbation is assumed to be small and to have zero mass. As t→ ∞, the solution with perturbed initial data is shown to approach the viscous profile in maximum norm.A complete proof of the stability result is given under slightly weaker assumptions than those in [Comm. Pure Appl. Math. LI (1998) 1397]; our assumptions, techniques, and results also differ from those in [Indiana Univ. Math. J. 47 (1998) 741]. To derive resolvent estimates for a linearized problem, we use the theory of exponential dichotomies for ODEs extensively. A main tool provided by this theory is a quantitative L ₁ perturbation theorem for dichotomies, which yields the delicate resolvent estimates for s near zero.When showing that the resolvent estimates imply nonlinear stability, we essentially follow the arguments in [Comm. Pure Appl. Math. LI (1998) 1397; SIAM J. Math. Anal. 20 (1999) 401], but note some simplifications.     

On the Solution of a Boltzmann System for Gas Mixtures

We study the Boltzmann equation for a mixture of two gases in one space dimension with initial condition of one gas near vacuum and the other near a Maxwellian equilibrium state. A qualitative-quantitative mathematical analysis is developed to study this mass diffusion problem based on the Green’s function of the Boltzmann equation for the single species hard sphere collision model in Liu andYu (Commun Pure Appl Math 57:1543–1608, 2004). The cross-species resonance of the mass diffusion and the diffusion-sound wave is investigated. An exponentially sharp global solution is obtained.     

Isolated Singularities of the 1D Complex Viscous Burgers Equation

The Cauchy problem for the 1D real-valued viscous Burgers equation u _t +uu _x  = u _xx is globally well posed (Hopf in Commun Pure Appl Math 3:201–230, 1950). For complex-valued solutions finite time blow-up is possible from smooth compactly supported initial data, see Poláčik and Šverák (J Reine Angew Math 616:205–217, 2008). It is also proved in Poláčik and Šverák (J Reine Angew Math 616:205–217, 2008) that the singularities for the complex-valued solutions are isolated if they are not present in the initial data. In this paper we study the singularities in more detail. In particular, we classify the possible blow-up rates and blow-up profiles. It turns out that all singularities are of type II and that the blow-up profiles are regular steady state solutions of the equation.     

On Finite Time Singularity and Global Regularity of an Axisymmetric Model for the 3D Euler Equations

In (Comm Pure Appl Math 62(4):502–564, 2009), Hou and Lei proposed a 3D model for the axisymmetric incompressible Euler and Navier–Stokes equations with swirl. This model shares a number of properties of the 3D incompressible Euler and Navier–Stokes equations. In this paper, we prove that the 3D inviscid model with an appropriate Neumann-Robin or Dirichlet-Robin boundary condition will develop a finite time singularity in an axisymmetric domain. We also provide numerical confirmation for our finite time blowup results. We further demonstrate that the energy of the blowup solution is bounded up to the singularity time, and the blowup mechanism for the mixed Dirichlet-Robin boundary condition is essentially the same as that for the energy conserving homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition. Finally, we prove that the 3D inviscid model has globally smooth solutions for a class of large smooth initial data with some appropriate boundary condition. Both the analysis and the results we obtain here improve the previous work in a rectangular domain by Hou et al. (Adv Math 230:607–641, 2012) in several respects.     

On Singularity Formation of a Nonlinear Nonlocal System

We investigate the singularity formation of a nonlinear nonlocal system. This nonlocal system is a simplified one-dimensional system of the 3D model that was recently proposed by Hou and Lei (Comm Pure Appl Math 62(4):501–564, 2009) for axisymmetric 3D incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with swirl. The main difference between the 3D model of Hou and Lei and the reformulated 3D Navier–Stokes equations is that the convection term is neglected in the 3D model. In the nonlocal system we consider in this paper, we replace the Riesz operator in the 3D model by the Hilbert transform. One of the main results of this paper is that we prove rigorously the finite time singularity formation of the nonlocal system for a large class of smooth initial data with finite energy. We also prove global regularity for a class of smooth initial data. Numerical results will be presented to demonstrate the asymptotically self-similar blow-up of the solution. The blowup rate of the self-similar singularity of the nonlocal system is similar to that of the 3D model.     

Local Controllability to Trajectories of the Magnetohydrodynamic Equations

In this paper we prove the local controllability to trajectories of the three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equations by means of two internal controls, one in the velocity equations and the other in the magnetic field equations and both localized in an arbitrary small subset with not empty interior of the domain. This paper improves the previous results (Barbu et al. in Comm Pure Appl Math 56:732–783, 2003; Barbu et al. in Adv Differ Equ 10:481–504, 2005; Havârneanu et al. in Adv Differ Equ 11:893–929, 2006; Havârneanu, in SIAM J Control Optim 46:1802–1830, 2007) where the second control is not localized and it allows to deduce the local controllability to trajectories with boundary controls. The proof relies on the Carleman inequality for the Stokes system of Imanuvilov et al. (Carleman estimates for second order nonhomogeneous parabolic equations, preprint) to deal with the velocity equations and on a new Carleman inequality for a Dynamo-type equation to deal with the magnetic field equations.     

Concerning the W k,p -Inviscid Limit for 3-D Flows Under a Slip Boundary Condition

We consider the 3-D evolutionary Navier–Stokes equations with a Navier slip-type boundary condition, see (1.2), and study the problem of the strong convergence of the solutions, as the viscosity goes to zero, to the solution of the Euler equations under the zero-flux boundary condition. We prove here, in the flat boundary case, convergence in Sobolev spaces W ^k, p (Ω), for arbitrarily large k and p (for previous results see Xiao and Xin in Comm Pure Appl Math 60:1027–1055, 2007 and Beir?o da Veiga and Crispo in J Math Fluid Mech, 2009, doi:). However this problem is still open for non-flat, arbitrarily smooth, boundaries. The main obstacle consists in some boundary integrals, which vanish on flat portions of the boundary. However, if we drop the convective terms (Stokes problem), the inviscid, strong limit result holds, as shown below. The cause of this different behavior is quite subtle. As a by-product, we set up a very elementary approach to the regularity theory, in L ^p -spaces, for solutions to the Navier–Stokes equations under slip type boundary conditions.     

Explicit solution to the exact Riemann problem and application in nonlinear shallow‐water equations

The Riemann solver is the fundamental building block in the Godunov‐type formulation of many nonlinear fluid‐flow problems involving discontinuities. While existing solvers are obtained either iteratively or through approximations of the Riemann problem, this paper reports an explicit analytical solution to the exact Riemann problem. The present approach uses the homotopy analysis method to solve the nonlinear algebraic equations resulting from the Riemann problem. A deformation equation defines a continuous variation from an initial approximation to the exact solution through an embedding parameter. A Taylor series expansion of the exact solution about the embedding parameter provides a series solution in recursive form with the initial approximation as the zeroth‐order term. For the nonlinear shallow‐water equations, a sensitivity analysis shows fast convergence of the series solution and the first three terms provide highly accurate results. The proposed Riemann solver is implemented in an existing finite‐volume model with a Godunov‐type scheme. The model correctly describes the formation of shocks and rarefaction fans for both one and two‐dimensional dam‐break problems, thereby verifying the proposed Riemann solver for general implementation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the Brézis–Nirenberg Problem

We study the following Brézis–Nirenberg problem (Comm Pure Appl Math 36:437–477, 1983): $-\Delta u=\lambda u+ |u|^{2^\ast-2}u, \quad u\in H_0^1(\Omega),$ where Ω is a bounded smooth domain of R ^N (N ≧ 7) and 2* is the critical Sobolev exponent. We show that, for each fixed λ > 0, this problem has infinitely many sign-changing solutions. In particular, if λ ≧ λ₁, the Brézis–Nirenberg problem has and only has infinitely many sign-changing solutions except zero. The main tool is the estimates of Morse indices of nodal solutions.     

On the Impossibility, in Some Cases, of the Leray�CHopf Condition for Energy Estimates

Current proofs of time independent energy bounds for solutions of the time dependent Navier–Stokes equations, and of bounds for the Dirichlet norms of steady solutions, are dependent upon the construction of an extension of the prescribed boundary values into the domain that satisfies the inequality (1.1) below, for a value of κ less than the kinematic viscosity. It is known from the papers of Leray (J Math Pure Appl 12:1–82, 1993), Hopf (Math Ann 117:764–775, 1941) and Finn (Acta Math 105:197–244, 1961) that such a construction is always possible if the net flux of the boundary values across each individual component of the boundary is zero. On the other hand, the nonexistence of such an extension, for small values of κ, has been shown by Takeshita (Pac J Math 157:151–158, 1993) for any two or three-dimensional annular domain, when the boundary values have a net inflow toward the origin across each component of the boundary. Here, we prove a similar result for boundary values that have a net outflow away from the origin across each component of the boundary. The proof utilizes a class of test functions that can detect and measure deformation. It appears likely that much of our reasoning can be applied to other multiply connected domains.     

The Riemann problem for non-ideal isentropic compressible two phase flows

We consider the Riemann problem for a five-equation, two-pressure (5E2P) model of non-ideal isentropic compressible gas–liquid two-phase flows. This system is more complex due to the extended thermodynamics model for van der Waals gases, that is, typical real gases for gas phase and Tait׳s equation of state for liquid phase. The overall model is strictly hyperbolic and non-conservative form. We investigate the structure of Riemann problem and construct the solution for it. To construct solution of Riemann problem approximately assuming that all waves corresponding to the genuinely non-linear characteristic fields are rarefaction and then we discuss their properties. Lastly, we discuss numerical examples and study the solution influenced by the van der Waals excluded volume.     

Weak–Strong Uniqueness of Dissipative Measure-Valued Solutions for Polyconvex Elastodynamics

For the equations of elastodynamics with polyconvex stored energy, and some related simpler systems, we define a notion of a dissipative measure-valued solution and show that such a solution agrees with a classical solution with the same initial data, when such a classical solution exists. As an application of the method we give a short proof of strong convergence in the continuum limit of a lattice approximation of one dimensional elastodynamics in the presence of a classical solution. Also, for a system of conservation laws endowed with a positive and convex entropy, we show that dissipative measure-valued solutions attain their initial data in a strong sense after time averaging.     

On the Regularity Set and Angular Integrability for the Navier–Stokes Equation

We investigate the size of the regular set for suitable weak solutions of the Navier–Stokes equation, in the sense of Caffarelli–Kohn–Nirenberg (Commun Pure Appl Math 35:771–831, 1982). We consider initial data in weighted Lebesgue spaces with mixed radial-angular integrability, and we prove that the regular set increases if the data have higher angular integrability, invading the whole half space \({\{t > 0\}}\) in an appropriate limit. In particular, we obtain that if the \({L^{2}}\) norm with weight \({|x|^{-\frac12}}\) of the data tends to 0, the regular set invades \({\{t > 0\}}\); this result improves Theorem D of Caffarelli et al. (Commun Pure Appl Math 35:771–831, 1982).     

On the instability of steady motion

This paper deals with the instability of steady motions of conservative mechanical systems with cyclic coordinates. The following are applied: Kozlov’s generalization of the first Lyapunov’s method, as well as Rout’s method of ignoration of cyclic coordinates. Having obtained through analysis the Maclaurin’s series for the coefficients of the metric tensor, a theorem on instability is formulated which, together with the theorem formulated in Furta (J. Appl. Math. Mech. 50(6):938–944, 1986), contributes to solving the problem of inversion of the Lagrange-Dirichlet theorem for steady motions. The cases in which truncated equations involve the gyroscopic forces are solved, too. The algebraic equations resulting from Kozlov’s generalizations of the first Lyapunov’s method are formulated in a form including one variable less than was the case in existing literature.     

On the Amplitude Equations for Weakly Nonlinear Surface Waves

Nonlocal generalizations of Burgers’ equation were derived in earlier work by Hunter (Contemp Math, vol 100, pp 185–202. AMS, 1989), and more recently by Benzoni-Gavage and Rosini (Comput Math Appl 57(3–4):1463–1484, 2009), as weakly nonlinear amplitude equations for hyperbolic boundary value problems admitting linear surface waves. The local-in-time well-posedness of such equations in Sobolev spaces was proved by Benzoni-Gavage (Differ Integr Equ 22(3–4):303–320, 2009) under an appropriate stability condition originally pointed out by Hunter. The same stability condition has also been shown to be necessary for well-posedness in Sobolev spaces in a previous work of the authors in collaboration with Tzvetkov (Benzoni-Gavage et al. in Adv Math 227(6):2220–2240, 2011). In this article, we show how the verification of Hunter’s stability condition follows from natural stability assumptions on the original hyperbolic boundary value problem, thus avoiding lengthy computations in each particular situation. We also show that the resulting amplitude equation has a Hamiltonian structure when the original boundary value problem has a variational origin. Our analysis encompasses previous equations derived for nonlinear Rayleigh waves in elasticity.     

On the Camassa–Holm and K–dV Hierarchies

It is known that a transform of Liouville type allows one to pass from an equation of the Korteweg–de Vries (K–dV) hierarchy to a corresponding equation of the Camassa–Holm (CH) hierarchy (Beals et al., Adv Math 154:229–257, 2000; McKean, Commun Pure Appl Math 56(7):998–1015, 2003). We give a systematic development of the correspondence between these hierarchies by using the coefficients of asymptotic expansions of certain Green’s functions. We illustrate our procedure with some examples.     

Moving mesh methods for Boussinesq equation

The Boussinesq equation is a challenging problem both analytically and numerically. Owing to the complex dynamic development of small scales and the rapid loss of solution regularity, the Boussinesq equation pushes any numerical strategy to the limit. With uniform meshes, the amount of computational time is too large to enable us to obtain useful numerical approximations. Therefore, developing effective and robust moving mesh methods for these problems becomes necessary. In this work, we develop an efficient moving mesh algorithm for solving the two‐dimensional Boussinesq equation. Our moving mesh algorithm is an extension of Tang and Tang (SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 2003; 41 :487–515) for hyperbolic conservation laws and Zhang and Tang (Commun. Pure Appl. Anal. 2002; 1 :57–73) for convection‐dominated equations. Several numerical fluxes (Riemann Solvers and Numerical Methods for Fluid Dynamics: A Practical Introduction (2nd edn). Springer: Berlin, 1999; WASCOM 99”: 10th Conference on Waves and Stability in Continuous Media, Porto Ercole, Italy, 1999; 257–264; High‐order Methods for Computational Physics. Springer: Berlin, 1999; 439–582; J. Sci. Comput. 1990; 5 :127–149; SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 2003; 41 :487–515; Commun. Pure Appl. Anal. 2002; 1 :57–73) are also discussed. Numerical results demonstrate the advantage of our moving mesh method in resolving the small structures. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Local Analysis of Solutions of Fractional Semi-Linear Elliptic Equations with Isolated Singularities

In this paper, we study the local behaviors of nonnegative local solutions of fractional order semi-linear equations ${(-\Delta )^\sigma u=u^{\frac{n+2\sigma}{n-2\sigma}}}$ with an isolated singularity, where ${\sigma\in (0,1)}$ . We prove that all the solutions are asymptotically radially symmetric. When σ = 1, these have been proved by Caffarelli et al. (Comm Pure Appl Math 42:271–297, 1989).