Elliptic systems of variable order (Q2340463)

This paper is part of an interesting program of the authors to develop a theory of boundary value problems for elliptic wedge operators. Examples of elliptic wedge operators arise when elliptic differential operators are rewritten, in a tubular neighbourhood of a submanifold \(Y\), in cylindrical coordinates \((x,y,z)\). Here \(x\geq 0\) denotes the radial variable, \(y\) the axial variable along \(Y\), and \(z\) the angular variable. The interest is in boundary problems with boundary conditions imposed at \(Y\). In the standard theory of elliptic boundary problems the boundary \(Y\) is a smooth hypersurface and \(z\) is not present. Boundary conditions are imposed on the traces at \(Y\) of the sought-for solutions \(u\), and these give rise to elliptic Douglis-Nirenberg systems over \(Y\) consisting of operators of different orders. In the general case of elliptic wedge boundary problems the nature of traces is more subtle. Traces are the coefficients of terms \(x^{i\sigma}\log^\ell x\) in an asymptotic expansion of \(u\) near \(Y\). In contrast to the situation of classical elliptic boundary problems, the indicial roots \(\sigma\) can vary with \(y\) and may even branch. A clean approach is provided via the trace bundle \(\mathcal T\to Y\) of an elliptic wedge operator. The trace bundle, and a more general kernel bundle, were introduced by the authors in their paper [Commun. Partial Differ. Equations 38, No. 12, 2107--2125 (2013; Zbl 1286.32009)]. Boundary values are sections of \(\mathcal T\). The fiberwise action of \(x\partial_x\) on the trace bundle is a fundamental endomorphism. It is smooth even when indicial roots branch. In the paper under review, the authors develop a calculus of pseudodiffential operators which act on sections of bundles \(E_j\to Y\) equipped with smooth endomorphisms \(a_j\). (The \(a_j\)'s are abstractions of the trace bundle endomorphism \(x\partial_x\) mentioned above.) Fixing \(0<\delta<1\), the spaces of symbols \(p\) are given in terms of the standard Hörmander classes, and the symbol estimates are briefly as follows: \[ \langle\eta\rangle^{a_2(y)} p(y,\eta) \langle\eta\rangle^{-a_1(y)}\in S^\mu_{1,\delta}. \] So the endomorphisms \(a_j\) determine a variable order. The Douglis-Nirenberg order conventions appear as a special case. Taking advantage of the relation with Hörmander classes, the usual calculus properties are established. Moreover, Sobolev type spaces adapted to the calculus are defined, and Fredholm properties and index formulas are shown.