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59 votes
9 answers
10k views

Motivation for and history of pseudo-differential operators

Suppose you start from partial differential equations and functional analysis (on $\mathbb R^n$ and on real manifolds). Which prominent example problems lead you to work with pseudo-differential ...
shuhalo's user avatar
  • 5,327
37 votes
4 answers
4k views

Which differential equations allow for a variational formulation?

Many ODE's and PDE's arising in nature have a variational formulation. An example of what I mean is the following. Classical motions are solutions $q(t)$ to Lagrange's equation $$ \frac{d}{dt}\frac{\...
Thomas Rot's user avatar
  • 7,583
27 votes
2 answers
8k views

Compact embeddings of Sobolev spaces: a counterexample showing the Rellich-Kondrachov theorem is sharp

Let $U$ be an open bounded subset of $\mathbb{R}^n$ with $C^{1}$ boundary. Let $1 \leq p < n$ and $p^{\ast} = pn/(n-p)$. Then the Sobolev space $W^{1,p}(U)$ is contained $L^{p^{\ast}}(U)$ and ...
NPC's user avatar
  • 309
23 votes
5 answers
2k views

PDEs and algebraic varieties

Let $P$ be an order $d$ differential operator with constant coefficients and consider a PDE of the form $Pf = \delta$. Taking the Fourier transform of $P$ we get a degree $d$ polynomial whose zero ...
Puzzled's user avatar
  • 8,998
22 votes
4 answers
3k views

When to use more exciting function spaces than ordinary Sobolev spaces?

In which kinds of PDEs are the more interesting function spaces required? I am thinking of spaces such as Besov and Triebel spaces, and their weighted versions. For example, Sobolev spaces $L^2(0,T;H^...
user35613's user avatar
  • 405
22 votes
1 answer
4k views

Image of the trace operator

It is well-known that we have the trace theorem for Sobolev spaces. Let $\Omega$ be an open domain with smooth boundary, we know that the map $$ T: C^1(\bar\Omega) \to C^1(\partial\Omega) \subset L^...
Willie Wong's user avatar
21 votes
1 answer
742 views

Non real eigenvalues for elliptic equations

I am looking for an example of a pure second order uniformly elliptic operator $L=\sum_{i,j=1}^da_{ij}(x)D_{ij}$ in a bounded domain $\Omega$ (with Dirichlet boundary conditions, for example) having a ...
Giorgio Metafune's user avatar
18 votes
3 answers
2k views

Poincare lemma for non-smooth differentiable forms

The Poincare lemma is almost always formulated for differential forms with smooth coefficients (or sometimes for currents that have distributional coefficients). I would like to have it for $C^k$-...
Jochen Wengenroth's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
1k views

Invariant definition of the space of symbols on a vector bundle (pseudo-differential operators)

Normally, in the context of pseudo-differential operators, a symbol on a vector bundle $E$ is defined as a smooth function on $E$ which in each trivializing chart fulfills the usual symbol estimates \...
Tobias Diez's user avatar
  • 5,824
16 votes
2 answers
1k views

How to generalize the various vector calculus theorems to distributions?

Here is a list of vector calculus identities; in the proof of these identities, we all assume that these functions are $𝐶^𝑘$ in an open set, and we usually use these identities to calculate ...
YuerWu's user avatar
  • 415
15 votes
3 answers
1k views

Version of Banach-Steinhaus theorem

I am wondering about the following version of the Banach-Steinhaus theorem. Let $A$ be a closed convex subset contained in the unit ball of a Banach space $X$ and consider bounded operators $T_n \in \...
Sascha's user avatar
  • 536
14 votes
1 answer
830 views

Spectrum of matrix involving quantum harmonic oscillator

The quantum harmonic oscillator relies on two classical objects, the so-called creation and annihilation operator $$a ^* = x- \partial_x \text{ and }a = x+\partial_x.$$ Fix two numbers $\alpha,\beta \...
Kung Yao's user avatar
  • 192
14 votes
4 answers
1k views

Is every continuous microlocal operator a pseudo-differential operator?

Let $\mathcal S'=\mathcal S'(\mathbb R^n)$ be the Schwartz distribution space. Suppose $A\colon\mathcal S'\to\mathcal S'$ is linear, continuous and microlocal. By being microlocal I mean that the wave ...
Joonas Ilmavirta's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
536 views

Reference Request: Elliptic differential operators in the Fréchet setting

Normally the theory of (elliptic) differential operators between vector bundles (or $\mathbb{R}^n$) is presented in the language of Sobolev spaces. I'm searching for a book (or something similar) ...
Tobias Diez's user avatar
  • 5,824
14 votes
0 answers
633 views

Classes of (non-continuous) functions with the fixed point property

Let $K$ be a convex body in $ R^d$. (Say, a ball, say a cube...) For which classes $ \cal C$ of functions, every function $ f \in {\cal C}$ which takes $K$ into itself admits a fixed point in $K$. ...
Gil Kalai's user avatar
  • 24.7k
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Sobolev spaces and geometry

This is a very naive question, is there a way to geometrically understand Sobolev spaces without going through analysis and PDE's? To my knowledge, Sobolev spaces where created precisely to study PDE'...
Juan OS's user avatar
  • 947
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Space of sections of a fibre bundle with non-compact base space

Let $\pi: E \rightarrow M$ be a fiber bundle over the manifold M and denote by $\Gamma(E)$ the space of smooth sections of $E$. For compact $M$ it is well known (Hamilton 1982, Part II Corollary 1.3.9)...
Tobias Diez's user avatar
  • 5,824
12 votes
2 answers
5k views

Where was/is Compensated Compactness used?

This last summer, I read up on Tartar's so called Method of Compensated Compactness (or at least how it applied to scalar conservation laws). I used this theory to prove the existence of $L^{\infty}$ ...
MLevi's user avatar
  • 261
12 votes
3 answers
2k views

Reference request: Simple facts about vector-valued Sobolev space

Let $V,H$ be separable Hilbert spaces such that there are dense injections $V \hookrightarrow H \hookrightarrow V^*$. (For example, $H = L^2(\mathbb{R}^n)$, $V = H^1(\mathbb{R}^n)$, $V^* = H^{-1}(\...
Nate Eldredge's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
878 views

The ground state is signed and symmetric

Background In Berestycki and Lions it is asserted that (on page 316), if I am not misreading, that the "ground state", i.e. action minimizer among nontrivial solutions, corresponding to the action $$...
Willie Wong's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
2k views

Reference on Minty's trick

I am searching for a precise reference for the following result: Consider $f:\mathbb{R}_+\rightarrow\mathbb{R}_+$ a nondecreasing function. Assume that a sequence of nonnegative functions $(u_n)_n$ ...
Ayman Moussa's user avatar
  • 3,425
12 votes
1 answer
735 views

Parametrisations for null temperature functions: nonuniqueness of solutions to the heat equation

Disclaimer. I expect this is a highly open problem, but maybe I'm wrong and someone has come up with some answers besides those given here. In any case, all information appreciated, thanks! Definition....
Zen Harper's user avatar
  • 1,990
12 votes
0 answers
476 views

Are Sobolev trace spaces equal from both sides of the boundary?

Let $\Omega\subset\mathbb R^n$ be a bounded open set and $\Omega'$ the complement of its closure. Assume $\partial\Omega=\partial\Omega'$. Are the quotient spaces $W^{1,p}(\Omega)/W^{1,p}_0(\Omega)$ ...
Joonas Ilmavirta's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
478 views

$x f'$ bounded by $x^2f $ and $f''$?

Consider the Hilbert space of functions $f \in L^2(\mathbb R)$ such that $x^2f \in L^2(\mathbb R) $ and $ f'' \in L^2(\mathbb R).$ I am wondering whether it is true that $xf'\in L^2(\mathbb R)$ as ...
Zorgo's user avatar
  • 177
11 votes
3 answers
678 views

Which matrices can be realized as the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map for a given domain?

Consider Poisson equation $\nabla \cdot (\sigma(x)\nabla u)=0$ in a domain $D$, where $\sigma(x)$ is the spatially dependent conductivity. On the boundary we have $n$ electrodes (Dirichlet BC $u=\text{...
badmf's user avatar
  • 532
11 votes
3 answers
1k views

Boundedness of the derivative of the trace of an H^1 function

As a research preface, this question is linked to a problem of increasing magnetism in Ginzburg-Landau equations that I have distilled for the purpose of getting to the bottom of this technical matter....
Daniel Spector's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
712 views

Poincaré lemma for distributions

Let us consider a current on $\mathbb R^n$, that is a differential form whose coefficients are distributions. For simplicity, let us check the case of a $1$-form $$ u=\sum_{1\le j\le n} u_j dx_j,\quad ...
Bazin's user avatar
  • 16.2k
11 votes
1 answer
668 views

Is every continuous endomorphism of the Schwartz space a pseudo-differential operator?

Let $\mathcal{S}:= \mathcal{S}(\mathbb{R}^n)$ be the Schwartz space of smooth functions with rapid decay. The question is pretty simply stated in the title. Pseudo-differential act continuously on the ...
Saal Hardali's user avatar
  • 7,789
11 votes
3 answers
3k views

Dual space of $L^2(\mathbb{R},L^1(0,1))$?

I was wondering what the dual space of $L^2(\mathbb{R},L^1(0,1))$ is? (equipped with Lebesgue measures) Formally, one would suspect that it is just $L^2(\mathbb{R},L^{\infty}(0,1))$. But this may be a ...
Jacob Augstine's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
1k views

Harmonic oscillator in spherical coordinates

It is probably the most well-known result in quantum mechanics that the harmonic oscillator can be solved by supersymmetry. More precisely, the operator $$-\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+x^2$$ can be ...
ErwinSchr's user avatar
  • 113
11 votes
2 answers
1k views

Concentration compactness. Can this concept be stated in a theorem?

I recently attended a talk on NLS which is rather not my main field of interest. Yet, I got interested in a concept called concentration compactness during the talk. When I approached the speaker ...
Zinkin's user avatar
  • 501
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

Research topics in microlocal analysis

Before asking this question here I did some research on web but I would like to get the opinion of those directly interested if there are any , (as I did in this thread Research topics in distribution ...
Andrew's user avatar
  • 589
10 votes
3 answers
1k views

References: spectral analysis of the Laplacian operator

I'm looking for several references on the spectral analysis of the Laplacian operator. It is such a well-known topic, but I'm a bit struggling to locate modern systematic expositions in the literature....
user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
957 views

Do eigenfunctions of elliptic operator form basis of $H^k(M)$?

We know that the eigenfunctions of the Laplacian on a compact manifold $M$ form a countable basis of $H^1(M)$ and $L^2(M)$. If $L$ is a $2k$-order elliptic operator, do the eigenfunctions of $L$ ...
michael faber's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
973 views

$\int\limits_{\Omega}{uvdx}<\infty,\forall v\in H_0^1(\Omega)$ implies $u\in L^{6/5}(\Omega)$

I posted this question first in Math.StackExchange one week ago here, but I didn't get an answer or a helpful comment so I repost it here: Let $d=3$ and $\Omega\subset \mathbb R^d$ is a bounded ...
Svetoslav's user avatar
  • 261
10 votes
1 answer
573 views

General validity of separation of variables

Let $L$ be any differential operator (not necessarily linear). Given initial conditions and boundary conditions (of any type), I am interested in general statements of the form: Given a boundary ...
Jandré Snyman's user avatar
10 votes
3 answers
1k views

Historical developement of analysis and partial differential equations (especially in the 20th century)

Q: Is there a set of some comprehensive surveys or monographs describing (in technical detail) the historical development of the various subareas of analysis and partial differential equations? I'...
10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Trace of integral trace-class operator

I have seen many answers to the converse question (which seems to be difficult in general), but I would like to ask the following: Let $T: L^2 \rightarrow L^2$ be a trace-class operator that is also ...
user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
454 views

Open Questions about Wasserstein Space and PDE

While working on my thesis, I encountered the idea of OMT and started reading some more (like Villani's book). In particular, I came across a PhD thesis by Martial Agueh. I thought it was interesting ...
yoshi's user avatar
  • 427
10 votes
1 answer
586 views

Nonlinear Schrödinger equation with discrete Laplacian

In the paper "Global existence and scattering for rough solutions of a nonlinear Schrödinger equation on $\mathbb{R}^3$" by Colliander, Keel, Staffilani, Takaoka and Tao it is argued in the beginning ...
user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
518 views

Inverse function theorem for $W^{2,n}\cap W^{1,\infty}$ functions

Let $n\ge 2$, $f:B_1\subset \mathbb R^n\rightarrow \mathbb R^n$, $f\in W^{2,n}\cap W^{1,\infty}(B_1)$, $\text{det}(Df)>c>0$, where $B_1$ is the unit ball. Can we show that $f$ is a homeomorphism ...
Tian LAN's user avatar
  • 435
10 votes
0 answers
422 views

Upper bound Hölder norm of the solution to the non-linear PDE $\partial_t u (t, x) = \Delta_x \{ |\sigma (u (t, x))|^2 u(t, x) \}$

We fix $T>0$ and let $\mathbb T := [0, T]$. Let $\sigma : \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$ belong to the Hölder space $C^{1, \alpha}_b (\mathbb R)$ for some $\alpha \in (0, 1)$. Let $u : \mathbb T \times \...
Akira's user avatar
  • 835
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

Chain rule for distributional derivative

Let $V \subset H \subset V^*$ be a Gelfand triple (eg. $H^1 \subset L^2 \subset H^{-1}$). Let $u \in L^2(0,T;V)$ have a distributional derivative $u' \in L^2(0,T;V^*)$. So $\int_0^T u(t)\varphi'(t) = ...
mathias_l's user avatar
  • 145
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Density of restrictions of harmonic functions inside a ball

Let $B$ be the closed unit ball in $\mathbb R^3$ centered at the origin and let $U= \{x\in \mathbb R^3\,:\, \frac{1}{2}\leq |x| \leq 1\}.$ Let $$ S_U= \{u \in C^{\infty}(U)\,:\, \Delta u =0 \quad\text{...
Ali's user avatar
  • 4,135
9 votes
3 answers
2k views

Simultaneous Orthogonal basis for $L^2(\mathbb{R}^n)$ and $H^1(\mathbb{R}^n)$

Given a smooth bounded set $U\subset \mathbb{R}^n$, there is a simultaneous orthogonal basis for $L^2(U)$ and $H^1_0(U)$ by the existence of eigenvectors to the Laplacian in a bounded domain, which ...
user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

Density of smooth functions on Hölder spaces

The following result is often cited without reference in the context of PDEs: Let $\varOmega \subset\mathbb R^n$ be a bounded open set with smooth boundary. If $0<\beta<\alpha<1$ then $C^\...
Nautilus's user avatar
  • 727
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

Rate of convergence of smooth mollifiers

How does one figure out/prove the rate of convergence (in some norm) of mollifiers given a function bounded in some other norm (say Sobolev space, Besov space)? Also, is there a dimensional analysis ...
Phil Isett's user avatar
  • 2,243
9 votes
1 answer
639 views

Prove J.L. Lions’s Lemma without using Fourier transform

When I read the book Linear and Nonlinear Functional Analysis with Applications, I came across J.L. Lions's Lemma (the book doesn't give a proof), which states Let $\Omega \subset \mathbb R^n$ be a ...
Zhang Yuhan's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
418 views

Reference request: Parabolic Equations

I am a PhD student working mainly on Elliptic Equations. With the other PhDs of my department, we organised a reading group, meaning that we agreed on a book we were all interested in, we meet weekly ...
Falcon's user avatar
  • 452
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

Traces of Sobolev spaces

Is there a simple proof of the following fact? Theorem. Let $\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ be a bounded and smooth domain. If $n>2$, then $W^{1,n-1}(\partial\Omega)\subset W^{1-\frac{1}{n},n}(\...
Piotr Hajlasz's user avatar

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