Partial differential equations 2. Functional analytic methods. With consideration of lectures by E. Heinz (Q5920630)

In the second volume, Functional Analytic Methods, the author emphasizes on the pure and applied aspects of the partial differential equations. There are presented various methods for solving PDE's such as the method of continuity, variational and topological methods. Chapter~VII considers, in general, nonlinear operators in Banach spaces. With the aid of Brouwer's mapping degree the Schauder fixed point theorem is proved, and it is supplemented by the Banach fixed point theorem. In \S~2 the author defines the Leray-Schauder degree for mappings in Banach spaces by means of a suitable approximation, and derives its fundamental properties. Then, by transition to linear operators in Banach spaces, it is proved the fundamental solution theorem of F.~Riesz via the Leray-Schauder degree. At the end of the chapter it is derived the Hahn-Banach continuation theorem by means of Zorn's lemma. In Chapter~VIII on Linear Operators in Hilbert Spaces, the eigenvalues problems of Sturm-Liouville and of H. Weyl for differential operators are transformed into integral equations. Then, weakly singular integral operators are considered and the theorem of I.~Schur on iterated kernels is proved. Later, the results from Chapter~II are further developed to the settings of Hilbert spaces and an abstract completion of pre-Hilbert-spaces is presented. Bounded linear operators in Hilbert spaces are treated in \S~4 with arguments including the continuation theorem, adjoint and Hermitian operators, Hilbert-Schmidt operators, inverse operators, bilinear forms and Lax-Milgram's theorem. Section~5 deals with the transformation of Fourier-Plancherel considered as a unitary operator on the Hilbert space \(L^2({\mathbb R}^n).\) Completely continuous, respectively compact operators, are studied in \S~6 together with weak convergence. The solution-theorem of Fredholm on operator equations in Hilbert spaces is deduced from the corresponding result of F.~Riesz in Banach spaces. These results are applied to weakly singular operators. The spectral theorem of F.~Rellich on completely continuous and Hermitian operators is proved in \S~7 by variational methods. Then the Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problem is studied and the relevant integral kernels are expanded into their eigenfunctions. Following ideas of H.~Weyl the eigenvalue problem for the Laplacian on domains in \({\mathbb R}^n\) is treated by integral equations method. Chapter~IX deals with linear elliptic differential equations. In Section~1 boundary value problems for elliptic PDE's in two independent variables are transformed into a Riemann-Hilbert boundary value problem. The latter can be solved by the integral equation method due to I.N.~Vekua. Then there are derived potential-theoretic estimates for the solutions of the Poisson equation. For further use the author proves corresponding inequalities for solutions of the inhomogeneous Cauchy-Riemann equation. The Dirichlet problem for elliptic differential equations in \(n\) variables is solved by the continuity method in the Hölder space \(C^{2+\alpha}(\bar\Omega).\) The necessary Schauder estimates are completely derived in the last paragraph. Chapter~X, Weak Solutions of Elliptic Differential Equations, begins with the Sobolev spaces and related theorems: Sobolev's imbedding theorem and the Rellich selection theorem. The author establishes existence of weak solutions and studies their boundedness and Hölder continuity with the aid of Moser's iteration technique and the weak Harnack inequality. Moreover, the regularity theorem of John and Nirenberg is derived. Finally, the boundary regularity of weak solutions is investigated and the results are applied to divergence form equations. At the end of the chapter, the Green function is presented with the aid of capacity methods and the eigenvalue problem for the Laplace-Beltrami operator is treated. Chapter~XI is dedicated to Nonlinear PDE's. Precisely, the author considers geometric PDE's, which appear for two dimensional surfaces in their state of equilibrium. In \S~1 the differential-geometric foundations are given, while the Euler equations for 2-dimensional parametric functionals are derived in \S~2. Moreover, the theory of characteristics for quasilinear hyperbolic differential equations is presented and solutions of the Cauchy initial value problem are obtained by the aid of successive approximation. The Riemannian integration method for linear hyperbolic differential equations is presented and Bernstein's analyticity theorem is proved. The last Chapter deals with Nonlinear Elliptic Systems. It begins with the maximum principle of W. Jäger for the \(H\)-surface system. Then it is proved the fundamental gradient estimate of E.~Heinz for nonlinear elliptic systems of differential equations. Global bounds are established and existence theorems are proved by means of the Leray-Schauder mapping degree. Further, an inner distortion estimate for plane nonlinear elliptic systems is derived, which implies a curvature estimate. In the sections to follow, conformal parameters into a Riemannian metric are introduced and a priori estimates up to the boundary are established. The uniformization method for quasilinear elliptic differential equations is explained and the Dirichlet problem for the nonparametric equation of prescribed mean curvature is solved. Finally, an introduction to Plateau's problem for surfaces of constant mean curvature is provided.