Imaginary powers of second order differential operators and \(L^q\)-Helmholtz decomposition in the infinite cylinder (Q1264327)

The authors investigate second order operators of the form: \[ Tp(x)=-\sum^n_{j,k=1}a_{jk}(x)\partial/\partial x_j\partial/\partial x_kp(x)+\sum^n_{j=1}b_j\partial/\partial x_jp(x), \] which can be written symbolically \(Tp(x)=-a:\nabla^2p+b\cdot\nabla p\), \(x\in G\subset\mathbb{R}^n\). The Helmholtz decomposition theorem in \(L^q\) spaces \(1<q<\infty\) is a basic tool in problems of fluid mechanics. It asserts that under some assumptions on the domain \(Z\), such as \(Z=\Omega\times\mathbb{R}\) is an infinite cylinder plus sufficient smoothness of \(\partial\Omega\), a function \(f\) in \(L^q(Z)\) has a unique representation \(f=f_0+\nabla p\). The authors describe roughly their aims as follows: Stimulated by their investigation of the Helmholtz decomposition they offer \(L^q\) space realizations of the operator \(T\) with Neumann boundary conditions. They conclude this with an elementary (which does not mean easy) proof of the estimates \[ \bigl\|(\lambda+T)^{-1}\bigr\|\leq c|\lambda^{-1}| \] for all \(\lambda\in S_\theta\), \(0<\theta<\pi/2\). Here \(S_\theta=\{\lambda\in\mathbb{C}:\lambda\neq 0,|\arg\lambda|\leq\pi-\theta\}\). The second estimate is: \(\| T^{is}\|\leq ce^{\theta| s|}\) for all \(s\in\mathbb{R}\). These estimates are useful in determining domains of fractional powers of the operator \(T\), and can be directly applied to problems in hydrodynamics. The reviewer spotted a minor misprint in the inequality near top of the page 595, where \(\nabla'p\) should be replaced by \(\nabla p\), but it is of no importance in well prepared arguments of the authors containing too many partial results to be included in this review.