Besov Space Regularity Conditions for Weak Solutions of the Navier–Stokes Equations

Consider a bounded domain ${{\Omega \subseteq \mathbb{R}^3}}$ with smooth boundary, some initial value ${{u_0 \in L^2_{\sigma}(\Omega )}}$ , and a weak solution u of the Navier–Stokes system in ${{[0,T) \times\Omega,\,0 < T \le \infty}}$ . Our aim is to develop regularity and uniqueness conditions for u which are based on the Besov space $$B^{q,s}(\Omega ):=\left\{v\in L^2_{\sigma}(\Omega ); \|v\|_{B^{q,s}(\Omega )} := \left(\int\limits^{\infty}_0 \left\|e^{-\tau A}v\right\|^s_q {\rm d} \tau\right)^{1/s}<\infty \right\}$$ with ${{2 < s < \infty,\,3 < q <\infty,\,\frac2{s}+\frac{3}{q} = 1}}$ ; here A denotes the Stokes operator. This space, introduced by Farwig et al. (Ann. Univ. Ferrara 55:89–110, 2009 and J. Math. Fluid Mech. 14: 529–540, 2012), is a subspace of the well known Besov space ${{{\mathbb{B}}^{-2/s}_{q,s}(\Omega )}}$ , see Amann (Nonhomogeneous Navier–Stokes Equations with Integrable Low-Regularity Data. Int. Math. Ser. pp. 1–28. Kluwer/Plenum, New York, 2002). Our main results on the regularity of u exploits a variant of the space ${{B^{q,s}(\Omega )}}$ in which the integral in time has to be considered only on finite intervals (0, δ ) with ${{\delta \to 0}}$ . Further we discuss several criteria for uniqueness and local right-hand regularity, in particular, if u satisfies Serrin’s limit condition ${{u\in L^{\infty}_{\text{loc}}([0,T);L^3_{\sigma}(\Omega ))}}$ . Finally, we obtain a large class of regular weak solutions u defined by a smallness condition ${{\|u_0\|_{B^{q,s}(\Omega )} \le K}}$ with some constant ${{K=K(\Omega, q)>0}}$ .     

Anisotropic Regularity Conditions for the Suitable Weak Solutions to the 3D Navier–Stokes Equations

We are concerned with the problem, originated from Seregin (159–200, 2007), Seregin (J. Math. Sci. 143: 2961–2968, 2007), Seregin (Russ. Math. Surv. 62:149–168, 2007), what are minimal sufficiently conditions for the regularity of suitable weak solutions to the 3D Navier–Stokes equations. We prove some interior regularity criteria, in terms of either one component of the velocity with sufficiently small local scaled norm and the rest part with bounded local scaled norm, or horizontal part of the vorticity with sufficiently small local scaled norm and the vertical part with bounded local scaled norm. It is also shown that only the smallness on the local scaled L ² norm of horizontal gradient without any other condition on the vertical gradient can still ensure the regularity of suitable weak solutions. All these conclusions improve pervious results on the local scaled norm type regularity conditions.     

On the Regularity Conditions of Suitable Weak Solutions of the 3D Navier–Stokes Equations

Let v and ω be the velocity and the vorticity of the a suitable weak solution of the 3D Navier–Stokes equations in a space-time domain containing z₀=(x₀, t₀)z_{0}=(x_{0}, t_{0}), and let Q_z0,r = B_x0,r ×(t₀ -r², t₀)Q_{z_{0},r}= B_{x_{0},r} \times (t_{0} -r^{2}, t_{0}) be a parabolic cylinder in the domain. We show that if either $\nu \times \frac{\omega}{|\omega|} \in L^{\gamma,\alpha}_{x,t}(Q_{z_{0},r})$\nu \times \frac{\omega}{|\omega|} \in L^{\gamma,\alpha}_{x,t}(Q_{z_{0},r}) with $\frac{3}{\gamma} + \frac{2}{\alpha} \leq 1, {\rm or} \omega \times \frac{\nu} {|\nu|} \in L^{\gamma,\alpha}_{x,t} (Q_{z_{0},r})$\frac{3}{\gamma} + \frac{2}{\alpha} \leq 1, {\rm or} \omega \times \frac{\nu} {|\nu|} \in L^{\gamma,\alpha}_{x,t} (Q_{z_{0},r}) with \frac3g + \frac2a ￡ 2\frac{3}{\gamma} + \frac{2}{\alpha} \leq 2, where L^{γ, α}_x,t denotes the Serrin type of class, then z₀ is a regular point for ν. This refines previous local regularity criteria for the suitable weak solutions.     

On the Local Smoothness of Solutions of the Navier–Stokes Equations

We consider the Cauchy problem for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with initial data in , and study in some detail the smoothing effect of the equation. We prove that for T < ∞ and for any positive integers n and m we have , as long as stays finite.     

Extensions of Serrin’s Uniqueness and Regularity Conditions for the Navier–Stokes Equations

Consider a smooth bounded domain ${\Omega \subseteq {\mathbb{R}}^3}$ , a time interval [0, T), 0?<?T?≤?∞, and a weak solution u of the Navier–Stokes system. Our aim is to develop several new sufficient conditions on u yielding uniqueness and/or regularity. Based on semigroup properties of the Stokes operator we obtain that the local left-hand Serrin condition for each ${t\in (0,T)}$ is sufficient for the regularity of u. Somehow optimal conditions are obtained in terms of Besov spaces. In particular we obtain such properties under the limiting Serrin condition ${u \in L_{\rm loc}^\infty([0,T);L^3(\Omega))}$ . The complete regularity under this condition has been shown recently for bounded domains using some additional assumptions in particular on the pressure. Our result avoids such assumptions but yields global uniqueness and the right-hand regularity at each time when ${u \in L_{\rm loc}^\infty([0,T);L^3(\Omega))}$ or when ${u(t)\in L^3(\Omega)}$ pointwise and u satisfies the energy equality. In the last section we obtain uniqueness and right-hand regularity for completely general domains.     

Existence and Regularity of Very Weak Solutions of the Stationary Navier–Stokes Equations

We consider the stationary Navier–Stokes equations in a bounded domain Ω in R ⁿ with smooth connected boundary, where n = 2, 3 or 4. In case that n = 3 or 4, existence of very weak solutions in L ⁿ (Ω) is proved for the data belonging to some Sobolev spaces of negative order. Moreover we obtain complete L ^q -regularity results on very weak solutions in L ⁿ (Ω). If n = 2, then similar results are also proved for very weak solutions in with any q ₀ > 2. We impose neither smallness conditions on the external force nor boundary data for our existence and regularity results.     

A Refinement of the Local Serrin-Type Regularity Criterion for a Suitable Weak Solution to the Navier–Stokes Equations

We formulate a new criterion for regularity of a suitable weak solution v to the Navier–Stokes equations at the space-time point (x ₀, t ₀). The criterion imposes a Serrin-type integrability condition on v only in a backward neighbourhood of (x ₀, t ₀), intersected with the exterior of a certain space-time paraboloid with vertex at point (x ₀, t ₀). We make no special assumptions on the solution in the interior of the paraboloid.     

Regularity Criteria of Weak Solutions in terms of the Pressure in Lorentz Spaces to the Navier–Stokes Equations

We consider the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in Ω ×?(0, T), where Ω is a domain in ${\mathbb{R}^3}$ . We give regularity criteria in terms of the pressure in Lorentz spaces with the corresponding small norm. In particular, our results extend previous ones to the Lorentz space with respect to temporal variable.     

Fine Properties of Self-Similar Solutions of the Navier–Stokes Equations

We study the solutions of the nonstationary incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in , of self-similar form , obtained from small and homogeneous initial data a(x). We construct an explicit asymptotic formula relating the self-similar profile U(x) of the velocity field to its corresponding initial datum a(x).     

A New Class of Weak Solutions of the Navier–Stokes Equations with Nonhomogeneous Data

We investigate a class of weak solutions, the so-called very weak solutions, to stationary and nonstationary Navier–Stokes equations in a bounded domain . This notion was introduced by Amann [3], [4] for the nonstationary case with nonhomogeneous boundary data leading to a very large solution class of low regularity. Here we are mainly interested in the investigation of the “largest possible” class of solutions u for the more general problem with arbitrary divergence k = div u, boundary data g = u|_∂Ω and an external force f, as weak as possible, but maintaining uniqueness. In principle, we will follow Amann’s approach.     

Vanishing Viscosity Limit of the Compressible Navier–Stokes Equations for Solutions to a Riemann Problem

We study the vanishing viscosity limit of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations to the Riemann solution of the Euler equations that consists of the superposition of a shock wave and a rarefaction wave. In particular, it is shown that there exists a family of smooth solutions to the compressible Navier–Stokes equations that converges to the Riemann solution away from the initial and shock layers at a rate in terms of the viscosity and the heat conductivity coefficients. This gives the first mathematical justification of this limit for the Navier–Stokes equations to the Riemann solution that contains these two typical nonlinear hyperbolic waves.     

Weak Solutions of the Navier–Stokes Equations for Compressible Flows in a Half-Space with No-Slip Boundary Conditions

We consider the Navier–Stokes equations for the motion of compressible, viscous flows in a half-space ${\mathbb{R}^n_+,}$ n =  2,  3, with the no-slip boundary conditions. We prove the existence of a global weak solution when the initial data are close to a static equilibrium. The density of the weak solution is uniformly bounded and does not contain a vacuum, the velocity is Hölder continuous in (x, t) and the material acceleration is weakly differentiable. The weak solutions of this type were introduced by D. Hoff in Arch Ration Mech Anal 114(1):15–46, (1991), Commun Pure and Appl Math 55(11):1365–1407, (2002) for the initial-boundary value problem in ${\Omega = \mathbb{R}^n}$ and for the problem in ${\Omega = \mathbb{R}^n_+}$ with the Navier boundary conditions.     

Fast Decays of Strong Global Solutions of the Navier–Stokes Equations

In the paper we study the asymptotic dynamics of strong global solutions of the Navier Stokes equations. We are concerned with the question whether or not a strong global solution w can pass through arbitrarily large fast decays. Avoiding results on higher regularity of w used in other papers we prove as the main result that for the case of homogeneous Navier–Stokes equations the answer is negative: If [0, 1/4) and δ₀ > 0, then the quotient remains bounded for all t ≥ 0 and δ∈[0, δ₀]. This result is not valid for the non-homogeneous case. We present an example of a strong global solution w of the non-homogeneous Navier–Stokes equations, where the exterior force f decreases very quickly to zero for while w passes infinitely often through stages of arbitrarily large fast decays. Nevertheless, we show that for the non-homogeneous case arbitrarily large fast decays (measured in the norm cannot occur at the time t in which the norm is greater than a given positive number.      

Navier–Stokes Equations with Shear-Thickening Viscosity. Regularity up to the Boundary

In this article we prove some sharp regularity results for the stationary and the evolution Navier–Stokes equations with shear dependent viscosity, see (1.1), under the no-slip boundary condition(1.4). We are interested in regularity results for the second order derivatives of the velocity and for the first order derivatives of the pressure up to the boundary, in dimension n ≥ 3. In reference [4] we consider the stationary problem in the half space \mathbbR₊ⁿ{\mathbb{R}}_+^n under slip and no-slip boundary conditions. Here, by working in a simpler context, we concentrate on the basic ideas of proofs. We consider a cubic domain and impose our boundary condition (1.4) only on two opposite faces. On the other faces we assume periodicity, as a device to avoid unessential technical difficulties. This choice is made so that we work in a bounded domain Ω and, at the same time, with a flat boundary. In the last section we provide the extension of the results from the stationary to the evolution problem.     

Navier–Stokes Equations with Navier Boundary Conditions for an Oceanic Model

We consider the Navier–Stokes equations in a thin domain of which the top and bottom surfaces are not flat. The velocity fields are subject to the Navier conditions on those boundaries and the periodicity condition on the other sides of the domain. This toy model arises from studies of climate and oceanic flows. We show that the strong solutions exist for all time provided the initial data belong to a “large” set in the Sobolev space H ¹. Furthermore we show, for both the autonomous and the nonautonomous problems, the existence of a global attractor for the class of all strong solutions. This attractor is proved to be also the global attractor for the Leray–Hopf weak solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations. One issue that arises here is a nontrivial contribution due to the boundary terms. We show how the boundary conditions imposed on the velocity fields affect the estimates of the Stokes operator and the (nonlinear) inertial term in the Navier–Stokes equations. This results in a new estimate of the trilinear term, which in turn permits a short and simple proof of the existence of strong solutions for all time.     

On Nonexistence for Stationary Solutions to the Navier–Stokes Equations with a Linear Strain

We consider stationary solutions to the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations for viscous incompressible flows in the presence of a linear strain. For certain class of strains we prove a Liouville type theorem under suitable decay conditions on vorticity fields.     

On the Static-Limit Solutions to the Navier—Stokes Equations of Compressible Flow

We consider the zero-velocity stationary problem of the Navier--Stokes equations of compressible isentropic flow describing the distribution of the density r \varrho of a fluid in a spatial domain W ì R^N \Omega \subset {\rm R}^N driven by a time-independent potential external force [(f)\vec] = \triangledown F \vec f = \triangledown F . We study the structure of the set of all solutions to the stationary problem having a prescribed mass m > 0 and a prescribed energy. Cardinality of the solution set depends on m and it is either continuum or at most two. Conditions on m for distinguishing these cases have been found. Uniqueness for the stationary system is also studied.     

A Weak-L p Prodi–Serrin Type Regularity Criterion for the Navier–Stokes Equations

We give simple proofs that a weak solution u of the Navier–Stokes equations with H ¹ initial data remains strong on the time interval [0, T] if it satisfies the Prodi–Serrin type condition u ∈ L ^s (0, T;L ^r,∞(Ω)) or if its L ^s,∞(0, T;L ^r,∞(Ω)) norm is sufficiently small, where 3 < r ≤ ∞ and (3/r) + (2/s) = 1.