Regularity theory for solutions to second order elliptic operators with complex coefficients and the \(L^{p}\) Dirichlet problem (Q1628424): Difference between revisions

In this very interesting paper the authors establish a new interior regularity theory for elliptic complex valued second order equations of the form \(\mathcal{L}=\text{div} A(\nabla\cdot)\), assuming a minimal scaling condition on \(B\) and a natural algebraic condition on the coefficients of \(A\) (a strengthened version of a condition known as \(L^p\)-dissipativity). When the coefficients of \(A\) and \(B\) are real, the algebraic conditions on \(A\) are exactly uniform ellipticity. More precisely, through an iterative procedure reminiscent of Moser's iteration technique, the authors obtain a reverse Hölder condition for \(L^p\) averages of solutions in interior balls, which serves as a replacement for the De Giorgi-Nash-Moser regularity theory of solutions to real-valued divergence form elliptic operators. The regularity result obtained is then applied to solve \(L^p\) Dirichlet problems for \(\mathcal{L}=\text{div}A(\nabla\cdot)+B\cdot \nabla\) on domains above a Lipschitz graph in \(\mathbb{R}^n\), when \(A\) and \(B\) satisfy a Carleson measure condition, and when \(p\) is in the range where \(A\) is \(p\)-elliptic. The proof of this result is inspired by \textit{C. E. Kenig} and \textit{J. Pipher} [Publ. Mat., Barc. 45, No. 1, 199--217 (2001; Zbl 1113.35314)], however, the lack of continuity of solutions and the absence of a maximum principle present interesting challenges. The solvability of the \(L^2\) Dirichlet problem for complex coefficient operators satisfying the Carleson measure condition follows from \(L^2\) results for non-symmetric elliptic systems in [\textit{M. Dindos} et al., ``The \(L^p\) Dirichlet boundary problem for second order elliptic systems with rough coefficients, Preprint, \url{arXiv:1708.02289}]. As a further consequence of their solvability result, the authors also present a solvability result for matrices in ``block form''. The main steps in the proof of the solvability of the \(L^p\) Dirichlet problem are as follows: the problem is first introduced in an infinite strip, in order to deal with the finiteness of the classical nontangential maximal functions associated with the solvability of the problem. Estimates for an appropriate square function are then obtained by making crucial use of the \(p\)-ellipticity and the Carleson measure condition on the coefficients. Finally, the authors obtain estimates for the nontangential maximal function in terms of the square function by relying on the strategy introduced in [\textit{C. Kenig} et al., Adv. Math. 153, No. 2, 231--298 (2000; Zbl 0958.35025)] and further developed in [arXiv:1708.02289, mentioned above].