Local solvability in \(L^ p\) of first-order linear operators (Q1916697)

The case of a first-order differential operator of principle type of the form \[ L={\partial\over \partial t}+ \sum^n_{k=1} a_k(x,t){\partial\over \partial x_k}+c(x,t) \] with smooth, complex-valued coefficients \(c\), \(a_k\), \(k=1,2,\dots,n\), defined in a neighborhood \(\Omega\) of the origin in \(\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\), \(n\in\mathbb{Z}^+\), and satisfying condition \(({\mathcal P})\) introduced by Nirenberg and Treves is considered. After a local change of coordinates the coefficients \(a_k\) can be assumed to be of the form \(ib_k\) with \(b_k\) real-valued, \(k=1,2,\dots,n\). The main result of the paper is that such an operator \(L\) is locally solvable in \(L^p\) for \(p\in]1,\infty[\). This result contrasts with the second-order situation, where counterexamples to an analogous conjecture exist.