\(L^ 2\) decay for weak solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations (Q1082187)

This paper is concerned with the asymptotic behavior in time of solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations defined on the whole of three-dimensional space. In a classical paper of \textit{J. Leray} [Acta. Math. 63, 193-248 (1934)] it was posed as a problem to determine whether or not weak solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations defined over all of three- dimensional space, decay. This article answers this question and shows that if the externally applied force satisfies certain integrability and decay restrictions, then weak solutions do decay in \(L^ 2\)-norm. Furthermore, an upper bound for the decay rate is determined. The paper first gives formal arguments to show that the \(L^ 2\)-norm of the solution decays at least as fast as \((1+t)^{-1/4}\) when the force is zero and as fast as \((1+t)^{-3/4}\) for a divergence free force which has decay behaviour at least as rapid. Rigorous arguments are then applied to ''Leray-Hopf'' solutions constructed by \textit{L.Caffarelli}, \textit{R. Kohn} and \textit{L. Nirenberg} [Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 35, 771-831 (1982; Zbl 0509.35067)]. In this case it is shown that the \(L^ 2({\mathbb{R}}^ 3)\) norm decays at least like \((1+t)^{-1/4}\), for suitable initial data, when f is again zero or divergence free with suitable asymptotic decay. It is observed that faster decay may be achieved if certain uniform boundedness conditions may be established.