Singularities and Cauchy problem for Fuchsian hyperbolic equations (Q1122705)

The authors consider the Cauchy problem for a partial differential equation of hyperbolic type \[ t^ k\partial^ m_ t u+\sum_{j+| \alpha | \leq m,j<m}t^{p(j,\alpha)}a_{j,\alpha} \partial^ j_ t/\partial^{\alpha}_ xu=f(t,x),\quad \partial^ i_ tu|_{t=0}=g_ t(x) \] (i\(=0,1,...,m-k-1\); \(0\leq k\leq m)\), where \(p(j,\alpha)\in {\mathbb{Z}}_+\) \((j+| \alpha | \leq m\) and \(j<m)\), \(p(j,\alpha)=k+\nu | \alpha |\) when \(j+| \alpha | =m\) and \(j<m\); \(p(j,\alpha)\geq k-m+j+(\nu +1)| \alpha |\) when \(j+| \alpha | <m\), for some \(\nu \in Z_+\). Here the characteristic polynomial \[ C(\rho,x)=\rho (\rho -1)...(\rho -m+1)+a_{m-1}(x)\rho (\rho -1)...(\rho -m+2)+...+a_{m-k}(x)\rho (\rho -1)...(\rho -m+k+1), \] where \(a_ j(x)=a_ j,(0,...,0)(0,x)\) for \(p(j,(0,...,0))=k-m+j\) and \(a_ j(x)=0\) for \(p(j,(0,...,0))>k-m+j,\) satisfies the Fuchsian condition: C(\(\rho\),x)\(\neq 0\) for any \(x\in {\mathbb{R}}^ n\) and \(\rho\in \{\lambda \in {\mathbb{Z}}:\) \(\lambda\geq m-k\}.\) The authors establish two theorems: on the uniqueness of the solution and on the structure of the wave front. These theorems generalize results of the first three authors [Hokkaido Math. J. 14, 175-248 (1985; Zbl 0582.35074)].