On an anisotropic Serrin criterion for weak solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations (Q1663062)

This paper is concerning the regularity of the Leray solutions of the 3D incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. In [\textit{J. Serrin}, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 9, 187--195 (1962; Zbl 0106.18302)] it was proved that, if one assumes the existence of a weak solution which is mildly regular, then it is actually smooth in space. Two results of the this type are proved by the author in the present paper: -- Theorem 4: Let \(u\) be a Leray solution of the Navier-Stokes equations set in \(\mathbb R_+ \times T^3\), with initial data in \(L^2(T^3)\), where \(T^3\) is the torus. Suppose exists the interval \(]T1, T2[\) s. t. the third component \(u^3 \in L^2(]T1, T2[,W^{2, 3/2} (T3))\). Then \(u\) is smooth in space on \(]T1, T2[ \times T^3\). -- Theorem 5. Suppose the Navier-Stokes equations set in \(\mathbb R_+ \times\mathbb R^3\) with initial data in \(L^2(R^3) \cap L^{3/2} (\mathbb R^3)\). A time interval \(]T1, T2[\) and a domain \(D \subset\mathbb R^3\) of compact closure exist s. t. \(u^3 \in L^2(]T1, T2[,W^{2, 3/2} (D))\). Then \(u\) is smooth in space on \(]T1, T2[ \times D\). Some results given in [\textit{J.-Y. Chemin} and \textit{P. Zhang}, Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 49, No. 1, 131--167 (2016; Zbl 1342.35210)] are used. The point is to suppose a bit more spatial regularity of \(u^3\), in order to counterbalance the anisotropic nature of the Serrin criterion. The third component of the vorticity \(\mathrm{rot}(u)\) is used (denoted by \(w\)), which solves the transport-diffusion equation (2) with \(\mathrm{rot}(u) \cdot \nabla u^3\) as a forcing term. A classical approximation procedure is used to show the existence of some solution for (2), which belongs to a specific energy space. The Sobolev embeddings show that this last solution is equal to \(w\), by using a known particular uniqueness result. The vorticity \(\mathrm{rot}(u)\) is written in terms of \(w\) and \(\nabla u^3\), by using the div-curl decomposition. Sobolev and Lebesgue embeddings are used to lift the regularity of \(w\) to that of \(\nabla u^3\). This higher regularity of \(w\) is used to improve the regularity of two other components of the vorticity. For this, the div-curl decomposition is used again, but in a ``somewhat adaptative'' manner -- see relations after eqs. (3). All above procedure gives a smooth enough vorticity, and the direct application of the standard Serrin criterion is possible.