Optimal Regularity and Fredholm Properties of Abstract Parabolic Operators in Lp Spaces on the Real Line

We study the operator Lu(t):= u'(t) – A(t) u(t) on L^p(R; X) for sectorial operators A(t), with t R, on a Banachspace X that are asymptotically hyperbolic, satisfy the Acquistapace–Terreniconditions, and have the property of maximal L^p-regularity.We establish optimal regularity on the time interval R showingthat L is closed on its minimal domain. We further give conditionsfor ensuring that L is a semi-Fredholm operator. The Fredholmproperty is shown to persist under A(t)-bounded perturbations,provided they are compact or have small A(t)-bounds. We applyour results to parabolic systems and to generalized Ornstein–Uhlenbeckoperators. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 35K20, 35K90,47A53.