Soliton resolution for equivariant wave maps on a wormhole (Q1749268)

In the present paper, the author proves the \emph{soliton resolution conjecture} for the equivariant wave maps on a wormhole. This conjecture states that the general globally defined solutions of (most) nonlinear dispersive partial differential equations decompose asymptotically into a superposition of a nonlinear bulk term and a radiation term. The model studied in this paper is of the equivariant maps \(U(\psi): \mathbb{R} \times \left( \mathbb{R} \times S^2 \right) \longrightarrow S^3 \) that are the critical point of the following action functional \[ S(U(\psi)) = \int_{\mathbb{R} \times \left( \mathbb{R} \times S^2 \right)} \langle \partial U(\psi), \partial U(\psi) \rangle, \tag{1} \] where \(\psi\) is an associated function to the wave map \(U\). The corresponding nonlinear equation and the initial value problem have the following form \[ \partial^{2}_{t} \psi - \partial^{2}_{r} \psi -\frac{2r}{r^2 +1 } \partial_r \psi + \frac{l(l+1)}{2(r^2 +1 )} \sin 2\psi =0, \qquad l \in \mathbb{N} , \tag{2} \] \[ \vec{\psi}(0) := (\left( \psi(0), \partial_t \psi(0) \right) ) = \left( \psi_0 , \psi_1 \right) , \tag{3} \] which conserves the energy defined by a functional \(\mathcal{E} (\psi, \partial \psi)\) along the flow. The finite energy pairs \(\left( \psi_0 , \psi_1 \right)\) of degree \(n \in \mathbb{N} \cup \{0\}\) have the finite energies \(\mathcal{E}_{nl} < \infty\). Then the author shows that for every \(l \in \mathbb{N}\), \(n \in \mathbb{N} \cup \{0\}\), there is a unique harmonic map \(Q_{l,n}(r)\) that satisfies the static equation from (2) and global solutions \(\phi^{\pm}_{L} (t,r)\) to the linearized equation from (2) such that \(Q_{l,n}\) and \(\phi^{\pm}_{L}\) correspond to the finite energy value \(\mathcal{E}_{nl}\). Moreover, the problem (2)--(3) has a unique global solution \(\vec{\psi}\) for which \[ \vec{\psi} (t) = \left( Q_{l,n}, 0 \right) + \phi^{\pm}_{L} (t) + O_{\mathcal{H}_{0}}(1), \qquad \text{for} \, \, t \rightarrow \pm \infty , \tag{4} \] where \(\mathcal{H}_{0} := \mathcal{H} ((-\infty, \infty);(r^2 + 1)dr)\) is energy space. The proof of the results is based on the Kenig-Merle method from the reference [\textit{C. E. Kenig} and \textit{F. Merle}, Invent. Math. 166, No. 3, 645--675 (2006; Zbl 1115.35125)] and on the general arguments of the Strichartz-Strauss estimates from the small data theory applied to a constant \(t\) foliation of the wormhole space-time. The result is proved by demonstrating the following three affirmations: 1) that the small data problem admits global and scattering free waves; 2) that if the main result from the equation (4) were not true a non-scattering compact minimal solution exists; and 3) that the precompact solution vanishes. Thus, the author succeeds to prove the truth of the main result by contradiction. The paper is written in a clear style, the proofs and the arguments are well presented and developed. There are 23 references and the reference [\textit{P. Bizoń} et al., Nonlinearity 25, No. 5, 1299--1309 (2012; Zbl 1243.35117)] is anterior to the present paper within the same project.