On the Large Time Behavior of Solutions of Hamilton–Jacobi Equations Associated with Nonlinear Boundary Conditions

In this article, we study the large time behavior of solutions of first-order Hamilton–Jacobi Equations set in a bounded domain with nonlinear Neumann boundary conditions, including the case of dynamical boundary conditions. We establish general convergence results for viscosity solutions of these Cauchy–Neumann problems by using two fairly different methods: the first one relies only on partial differential equations methods, which provides results even when the Hamiltonians are not convex, and the second one is an optimal control/dynamical system approach, named the “weak KAM approach”, which requires the convexity of Hamiltonians and gives formulas for asymptotic solutions based on Aubry–Mather sets.     

Homogenization of Weakly Coupled Systems of Hamilton–Jacobi Equations with Fast Switching Rates

We consider homogenization for weakly coupled systems of Hamilton–Jacobi equations with fast switching rates. The fast switching rate terms force the solutions to converge to the same limit, which is a solution of the effective equation. We discover the appearance of the initial layers, which appear naturally when we consider the systems with different initial data and analyze them rigorously. In particular, we obtain matched asymptotic solutions of the systems and the rate of convergence. We also investigate properties of the effective Hamiltonian of weakly coupled systems and show some examples which do not appear in the context of single equations.     

Double Obstacle Problems with Obstacles Given by Non-C 2 Hamilton–Jacobi Equations

We prove optimal regularity for double obstacle problems when obstacles are given by solutions to Hamilton–Jacobi equations that are not C ². When the Hamilton–Jacobi equation is not C ² then the standard Bernstein technique fails and we lose the usual semi-concavity estimates. Using a non-homogeneous scaling (different speeds in different directions) we develop a new pointwise regularity theory for Hamilton–Jacobi equations at points where the solution touches the obstacle. A consequence of our result is that C ¹-solutions to the Hamilton–Jacobi equation $$\pm |\nabla h-a(x)|^2=\pm 1\,{\rm in}\,B_1,\quad h=f \,{\rm on}\, \partial B_1$$ , are, in fact, C ^1,α/2, provided that ${a \in C^\alpha}$ . This result is optimal and, to the authors’ best knowledge, new.     

Threshold Behavior and Non-quasiconvergent Solutions with Localized Initial Data for Bistable Reaction–Diffusion Equations

We consider bounded solutions of the semilinear heat equation \(u_t=u_{xx}+f(u)\) on \(R\), where \(f\) is of the unbalanced bistable type. We examine the \(\omega \)-limit sets of bounded solutions with respect to the locally uniform convergence. Our goal is to show that even for solutions whose initial data vanish at \(x=\pm \infty \), the \(\omega \)-limit sets may contain functions which are not steady states. Previously, such examples were known for balanced bistable nonlinearities. The novelty of the present result is that it applies to a robust class of nonlinearities. Our proof is based on an analysis of threshold solutions for ordered families of initial data whose limits at infinity are not necessarily zeros of \(f\).     

Weak Solutions and Attractors for Three-Dimensional Navier–Stokes Equations with Nonregular Force

A three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equation is considered. The forcing term is the derivative of a continuous function; the case of white noise is also considered. The aim is to prove the existence of weak solutions and to construct an attractor for the corresponding shift dynamical system in path space, following an idea of Sell.     

Almost Periodic Solutions and Global Attractors of Non-autonomous Navier–Stokes Equations

The article is devoted to the study of non-autonomous Navier–Stokes equations. First, the authors have proved that such systems admit compact global attractors. This problem is formulated and solved in the terms of general non-autonomous dynamical systems. Second, they have obtained conditions of convergence of non-autonomous Navier–Stokes equations. Third, a criterion for the existence of almost periodic (quasi periodic, almost automorphic, recurrent, pseudo recurrent) solutions of non-autonomous Navier–Stokes equations is given. Finally, the authors have derived a global averaging principle for non-autonomous Navier–Stokes equations.     

Multi-Vortex Solutions to Ginzburg–Landau Equations with External Potential

We consider the existence of multi-vortex solutions to the Ginzburg–Landau equations with external potential on \mathbbR²{\mathbb{R}^2} . These equations model equilibrium states of superconductors and stationary states of the U(1) Higgs model of particle physics. In the former case, the external potential models impurities and defects. We show that if the external potential is small enough and the magnetic vortices are widely spaced, then one can pin one or an arbitrary number of vortices in the vicinity of a critical point of the potential. In addition, one can pin an arbitrary number of vortices near infinity if the potential is radially symmetric and of an algebraic order near infinity.     

Entire Solutions with Merging Fronts to Reaction–Diffusion Equations

We deal with a reaction–diffusion equation u _t = u _xx + f(u) which has two stable constant equilibria, u = 0, 1 and a monotone increasing traveling front solution u = φ(x + ct) (c > 0) connecting those equilibria. Suppose that u = a (0 < a < 1) is an unstable equilibrium and that the equation allows monotone increasing traveling front solutions u = ψ₁(x + c ₁ t) (c ₁ < 0) and ψ₂(x + c ₂ t) (c ₂ > 0) connecting u = 0 with u = a and u = a with u = 1, respectively. We call by an entire solution a classical solution which is defined for all . We prove that there exists an entire solution such that for t≈ − ∞ it behaves as two fronts ψ₁(x + c ₁ t) and ψ₂(x + c ₂ t) on the left and right x-axes, respectively, while it converges to φ(x + ct) as t→∞. In addition, if c > − c ₁, we show the existence of an entire solution which behaves as ψ₁( − x + c ₁ t) in and φ(x + ct) in for t≈ − ∞.     

Solutions of the Dirac–Fock Equations and the Energy of the Electron-Positron Field

We consider atoms with closed shells, i.e. the electron number N is 2, 8, 10,..., and weak electron-electron interaction. Then there exists a unique solution γ of the Dirac–Fock equations with the additional property that γ is the orthogonal projector onto the first N positive eigenvalues of the Dirac–Fock operator . Moreover, γ minimizes the energy of the relativistic electron-positron field in Hartree–Fock approximation, if the splitting of into electron and positron subspace is chosen self-consistently, i.e. the projection onto the electron-subspace is given by the positive spectral projection of. For fixed electron-nucleus coupling constant g:=α Z we give quantitative estimates on the maximal value of the fine structure constant α for which the existence can be guaranteed.     

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 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.     

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).     

Existence and Non-linear Stability of Rotating Star Solutions of the Compressible Euler–Poisson Equations

We prove the existence of rotating star solutions which are steady-state solutions of the compressible isentropic Euler–Poisson (Euler–Poisson) equations in three spatial dimensions with prescribed angular momentum and total mass. This problem can be formulated as a variational problem of finding a minimizer of an energy functional in a broader class of functions having less symmetry than those functions considered in the classical Auchmuty–Beals paper. We prove the non-linear dynamical stability of these solutions with perturbations having the same total mass and symmetry as the rotating star solution. We also prove finite time stability of solutions where the perturbations are entropy-weak solutions of the Euler–Poisson equations. Finally, we give a uniform (in time) a priori estimate for entropy-weak solutions of the Euler–Poisson equations.     

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.     

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.      

SBV Regularity for Hamilton–Jacobi Equations in $${{\mathbb R}^n}$$

In this paper we study the regularity of viscosity solutions to the following Hamilton–Jacobi equations

$\partial_{t}u+H(D_{x}u)=0\quad\hbox{in }\Omega\subset{\mathbb R}\times{\mathbb R}^{n}.$

In particular, under the assumption that the Hamiltonian \({H\in C^2({\mathbb R}^n)}\) is uniformly convex, we prove that D _x u and ? _t u belong to the class SBV _loc (Ω).

     

A Comparison Principle for Hamilton–Jacobi Equations Related to Controlled Gradient Flows in Infinite Dimensions

We develop new comparison principles for viscosity solutions of Hamilton–Jacobi equations associated with controlled gradient flows in function spaces as well as the space of probability measures. Our examples are optimal control of Ginzburg–Landau and Fokker–Planck equations. They arise in limit considerations of externally forced non-equilibrium statistical mechanics models, or through the large deviation principle for interacting particle systems. Our approach is based on two key ingredients: an appropriate choice of geometric structure defining the gradient flow, and a free energy inequality resulting from such gradient flow structure. The approach allows us to handle Hamiltonians with singular state dependency in the nonlinear term, as well as Hamiltonians with a state space which does not satisfy the Radon–Nikodym property. In the case where the state space is a Hilbert space, the method simplifies existing theories by avoiding the perturbed optimization principle.