On hypoellipticity of the operator \(\exp[-|x_1|^{-\sigma}]D_1^2+x_1^4D_2^2+1\) (Q1607967)

This paper deals with the \(C^\infty\) hypoellipticity of a second-order partial differential operator \(P(x,D)\), \(x\in\mathbb{R}^2\), having a flat at zero coefficient \(f_\sigma(x_1)\). To be more precise, \(f_\sigma\in G_{1+ {1\over \sigma}}\), \(\sigma>0\), \(f_\sigma(x_1) >0\) for \(x_1\neq 0\), where \(G_s\) stands for the classical Gevrey space of order \(s\). The first author has proved in another paper that \(P\) is hypoelliptic for \(0<\sigma <2\). It is proved here that \(P\) is not hypoelliptic at each point of the form \((0,a)\) for \(\sigma\geq 2\).