Asymptotic behaviour in \(L^ r\) for weak solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations in exterior domains (Q1191449)

The subject of the paper is the initial-boundary value problem for the Navier-Stokes equations \[ u_ t-\Delta u+(u\cdot\nabla)u+\nabla p=0,\quad\text{div} u=0\quad\text{in } \Omega\times(0,\infty) \tag{*} \] \(u=0\) on \(\partial\Omega\times(0,\infty)\), \(u(0)=a\) in \(\Omega\), where \(\Omega\) is an exterior domain of \(\mathbb{R}^ n\), \(n=3,4\). The authors prove among others that any turbulent solution of \((*)\) has the following decay properties \[ \begin{aligned}\| u(t)\|_{L^ p} & =o\bigl(t^{- ({n\over 2}-{n\over p})/2} \bigr), \quad 2\leq p<\infty, \\ \| u(t)\|_{L^ \infty} & =o\bigl(t^{-{n\over 4}}(\log t)^{1- {1\over n}}\bigr), \\ \|\nabla u(t)\|_{L^ p} & =o\bigl(t^{(- {n\over 2}-{n\over p})/2-1/2}\bigr), \quad 2\leq p\leq n,\end{aligned} \] as \(t\to\infty\) provided the initial value \(a\) lies in \(L^ 2\). If one assumes that \(a\in L^ 2\cap L^{{n\over n-1}}\) the solution exhibits an even faster decay. Roughly speaking, the result is obtained by constructing a global strong solution \(v\) of \((*)\) which has the desired decay properties and afterwards by identifying the turbulent solution with \(v\) by means of a uniqueness argument.