Reverse conformally invariant Sobolev inequalities on the sphere (Q2066277)

The authors consider the Sobolev inequality on a sphere. The classic estimate is written \[ \| (-\Delta)^{\frac{s}{2}} U\|_2^2 \geq S_{s,n} \| U \|^2_{\frac{n}{n - 2s}}, \] where the cases of equality are known. This was proved in a dual form by \textit{E.~H. Lieb} [Ann. Math. (2) 118, 349--374 (1983; Zbl 0527.42011)], who showed that the inequality was conformally invariant. Since \(\mathbb R^n \cup{ \{\infty} \}\) is conformally equivalent to the sphere \(S^n\), there is a version for the sphere.This has been investigated by \textit{W.~Beckner} [Ann. Math. (2) 138, No.~1, 213--242 (1993; Zbl 0826.58042)] if \(0 \leq s \leq \frac n2\). The results for \(0 < s < \frac n2\) are \[ \| A_{2s}^{\frac{1}{2}} u\|_2^2 \geq S_{s,n} \| u \|^2_{\frac{n}{n - 2s}},\mbox{ for all } u \in H^s(S^n), \] where \[A_{2s} = \frac{ \Gamma (B + \frac12 + s)}{\Gamma (B + \frac12 - s)} \mbox{ and }B = \sqrt{-\Delta_{S^n} + \frac{(n - 1)^2}{4} }. \] While I could not find a definition in the paper, I believe \(\Gamma\) is defined by an operator integral with the kernel of the Gamma function. \textit{W.~Beckner} [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, No.~11, 4816--4819 (1992; Zbl 0766.46012)] also proved endpoint inequalities for \(s = 0\) and \(s = \frac{n}{2}\). The authors wish to consider the case \(s > \frac{n}{2}\) in which case the \(L^p\) exponent is negative and they assume that the functions \(u\) are nonnegative. That is what they mean by a `reverse' Sobolev inequality. The operators \(A_{2s}\) extend to any \(s >0\) with some modifications. First, \(B\) and \(A_{2s}\) act diagonally on any basis of spherical functions of degree \(l \in \mathbb N_0 = \{0, 1, 2, \ldots \}\) and hence \(A_{2s} \) acts by multiplication with coefficient \[ \alpha_{2s,n}(l) = \frac{ \Gamma (l + \frac12 + s)}{\Gamma (l + \frac12 - s)}. \] The extension is possible if \(\alpha_{2s, n}(l)= 0\) whenever the denominator above has a pole. The operator is no longer positive definite and the inequality is expressed in terms of \[ \alpha_{2s} (u) = \sum_{l \in \mathbb N_0} \alpha_{2s, n}(l) \| P_l u\|^2, \mbox{ for all } u \in H^s(S^n), \] where \(P_l\) is the projection onto spherical harmonics of degree \(l\). The authors note that when \(s \leq \frac n2\), \(\alpha_{2k}(u) = \| A_{2k}^{\frac 12} u\|_2^2\). Their results consider the inequality \[ \alpha_{2s}(u) \left( \int_{S^n} u^{-\frac{2n}{n- 2s} } \right)^{\frac{2s - n}{n} }\geq S_{s,n}, \mbox{ for all } 0< u \in H^s(S^n) \] and consider whether the inequality is valid for some constant \(S_{s,n}\), not necessarily positive, and if so, what is the optimal constant. Much is known (see the paper), including the fact that for odd \(n\) and \(s \in \frac {n+5}2 + \mathbb N_0\), the infimum \[ I_{2s,n} := \inf_{0 < u \in H^s(S^n)} \left( \int_{S^n} u^{-\frac{2n}{2s - n} } \, d \omega) \right)^{\frac{2s - n}{n} } \alpha_{2s}(u) \] is not achieved and there is not even a local minimizer. Two questions remain, which are answered here: Does the inequality hold for all \(s > \frac n2\) and if there is no minimizer, what is the value of the infimum? They answer the first question and the second for \(n \geq 2\). For \(n \geq 1\), \(s \in (\frac n2, \frac{n +4}{2}) \cup (\frac n2 + \mathbb N_0)\), they prove the inequality \[ \alpha_{2s}(u)\left( \int_{S^n} u^{-\frac{2n}{2s - n} } \, d \omega) \right)^{\frac{2s - n}{n} } \geq \frac{ \Gamma(\frac n2 +s) }{ \Gamma(\frac n2 - s) } |S^n|^2 \] as well as identifying the minimizer. For \(n \geq 1\), \(s \in (\frac {n + 4}{2}, \infty) \setminus ( \frac n2 + \mathbb N)\), the infimum \(I_{2s,n}\) is not attained and if \(n \geq 2\), \(I_{2s,n} = - \infty\). The interested reader should see the paper for a discussion of the application of their results to conformal geometry.