Finite-time singularity formation for \(C^{1,\alpha}\) solutions to the incompressible Euler equations on \(\mathbb{R}^3\) (Q2058608)

The author considers a long-time open question on the finite-time singulary formation of solutions to Euler equations, and partially answers this long standing open question in a certain case. The targeted equations are the incompressible Euler equations in \(R^3\): \begin{align*} &\partial_t u + u\cdot \nabla u + \nabla p = 0, \tag{1}\\ &\operatorname{div} (u)=0, \tag{2} \\ & u|_{t=0}=u_0. \tag{3} \end{align*} The author proves the following singularity formation result. Theorem. There exists an \(\alpha>0\) and a divergence-free and odd \(u_0\in C^{1,\alpha}(R^3)\) with initial vorticity \(|\omega_0(x)|:=|\nabla \times u_0| \le \frac{C}{|x|^\alpha +1}\) for some constant \(C>0\) so that the unique local odd solution to 1--3 belonging to the class \(C^{1,\alpha}_{x,t} ([0,1]\times R^3)\) satisfies \[ \lim_{t\to 1} \int^1_0 |\omega(s)|_{L^\infty} ds =+\infty. \] The proof is technical and elegant, which is divided in 5 steps. After providing a basic analysis of the ``Fundamental Model'', which encodes the leading order dynamics of the type of the solutions, and describing the coercivity of the linearization of the fundamental model around its self-similar solutions, the author gives the coercivity estimates for the linearization of the fundamental model along with the relevant angular transport term. Then, the author shows the elliptic estimates that allow to approximate the main non-local terms. Furthermore, after obtaining some useful information about the function spaces, the author sets up the exact equation for the perturbation to the solution of the fundamental model, and proves the relevant a priori estimates on the perturbation, and finally constructs the full self-similar solution.