Quantitative transfer of regularity of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations from \(\mathbb{R}^3\) to the case of a bounded domain (Q2232918)

Due to questions of regularity and approximation, it is useful to understand how certain properties of solutions to a partial differential equation where the data is taken to be localized are preserved when viewed on a bounded domain in Euclidean space versus the whole space. In a recent paper of \textit{J. C. Robinson} [Nonlinearity 34, No. 11, 7683--7704 (2021; Zbl 1479.35632)], it is shown that, for certain classes of solutions to the 3D Navier-Stokes equations, if a Leray-Hopf weak solution is strong on \(\mathbb R^3\times [0,T]\), then there exists a Leray-Hopf weak solution on \([-L,L]^3\times \mathbb R^3\) that is also strong provided \(L\) is large enough. \(L\) is not quantified by Robinson. The reviewed paper builds upon this by quantifying the length scale required for the transfer of regularity and developing methods for bounded domains with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition. The foundation of the proof is a standard localization procedure where, for a velocity field \(u\) defined on \(\mathbb R^3\times [0,T]\), the evolution equation for \(\phi u\) is derived and analyzed where \(\phi\) is a cut-off function. As with Robinson's argument, the length scale of the bounded domain needs to be large for regularity transfer. The technical explanation for this involves algebraic decay rates for \(\phi u\) which are established in this paper. These decay rates, and taking the length scale of the domain large in a quantified sense, ensure the forcing term associated with the evolution equation for \(\phi u\) is small, a fact which ultimately allows for the construction of a strong solution on the bounded domain.