Constraint-induced restriction and extension operators with applications (Q2267851)

In the first part of the present paper, the authors review the Helmholtz minimum dissipation principle and the Hodge orthogonal decomposition. It is shown that the Stokes operator can be induced from the Fréchet derivative of the Helmholtz dissipation functional, and the divergence-free constraint through the Hodge decomposition actually defines a pair of bounded linear operators, a restriction operator, and an extension operator. This result is then applied to the calculation of the eigenvalues of the Stokes operator by means of a variational approach. The proofs use standard variational arguments and basic properties of sequences in Hilbert spaces.