Global stability of large solutions to the 3D Navier-Stokes equations (Q1315023)

The authors consider the Navier-Stokes equations in a domain \(\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^ 3\), i.e. \[ u_ t- \nu\Delta u+ (u\cdot\nabla) u+\nabla p=f,\;\text{div } u=0 \text{ in } \Omega\times [0,\infty), \;u=0 \text{ on } \partial\Omega \times [0,\infty), \;u(0)= u_ 0 \text{ in } \Omega. \tag{*} \] Let \((u,p)\) be a global strong solution of (*) which satisfies \[ \int_ 0^ \infty \|\nabla u(t)\|_{L^ 2(\Omega)}^ 4 dt<\infty. \tag{**} \] Then it is shown that for any data which are sufficiently close to \((u_ 0,f)\) (*) has a global strong solution as well. Combining this result with known existence theorems for global strong solutions having axial, rotational or helical symmetry and satisfying (**) the authors prove global existence theorems for large data. As a further application they obtain the stability of unforced two- dimensional flow under three-dimensional perturbations.