Gradient estimates on the weighted \(p\)-Laplace heat equation (Q2410318)

Let \((M,g)\) be a closed Riemannian manifold of dimension \(n\), \(f\) a smooth function on \(M\). For \(m>n\), the \(m\)-Bakry-Émery curvature is defined by \[ \text{Ric}_{f,m}:=\text{Ric}+\text{Hess}(f)-\frac{1}{m-n}{\text d}f\otimes {\text d}f, \] while the weighted \(p\)-Laplacian is defined by \[ \Delta_{f,p}v:=\text{e}^f\text{div}\left(\text{e}^{-f}|\nabla v|^{p-2}\nabla v\right)=\Delta_p v-|\nabla v|^{p-2}g(\nabla v,\nabla f), \] where \(\Delta_p\) denotes the classical \(p\)-Laplacian \((p>1)\). The author proves the following gradient estimates for solutions of the so-called weighted \(p\)-Laplace heat equation, \[ |u|^{p-2}\partial_t u=\Delta_{f,p}u\,. \] Firstly, if \(\text{Ric}_{f,m}\geq -K\), where \(K\geq 0\), and if \(u\) is positive, then for every \(\alpha >\frac{1}{p-1}\), \[ \frac{|\nabla u|^p}{u^p}-\alpha\cdot\frac{\partial_t u}{u}\leq \left(\frac{p-1}{(p-1)\alpha-1}\right)^{p-1}K^\frac{p}{2}p^{-p}m^\frac{p}{2}\alpha^p+\frac{m\alpha^2}{pt}. \] This inequality generalizes a gradient estimate proved in [\textit{E. B. Davies}, Heat kernels and spectral theory. Cambridge etc.: Cambridge University Press (1989; Zbl 0699.35006)] for \(p=2\). Secondly, under the same hypotheses, the author generalizes the estimate \[ \frac{|\nabla u|^2}{u^2}-\text{e}^{2Kt}\cdot\frac{\partial_t u}{u}\leq\frac{m\text{e}^{4Kt}}{2t}, \] proved in [\textit{R. S. Hamilton}, Commun. Anal. Geom. 1, No. 1, 113--126 (1993; Zbl 0799.53048)] for \(p=2\), to the cases \(p\geq 2\) and \(1 < p\leq 2\). Finally, under the same hypotheses again, the author generalizes the estimate \[ \frac{|\nabla u|^2}{u^2}-\left(1+\frac{\sinh Kt\cosh Kt -Kt}{\sinh^2 Kt}\right)\frac{\partial_t u}{u}\leq\frac{nK}{2}(\coth Kt +1), \] proved in [\textit{J. Li} and \textit{X. Xu}, Adv. Math. 226, No. 5, 4456--4491 (2011; Zbl 1226.58009)] for \(p=2\), to arbitrary \(p>1\). The author applies a regularization process to derive his estimates. By setting \(w=\log u\), the weighted \(p\)-Laplace heat equation is namely equivalent to \[ \partial_t w=\Delta_{f,p}w+(p-1)|\nabla w|^p, \] which is regularized to \[ \partial_t w_\epsilon =\text{e}^f\text{div}\left(\text{e}^{-f}(|\nabla w_\epsilon|^2+\epsilon)^\frac{p-2}{2}\nabla w_\epsilon\right)+(p-1)\left(|\nabla w_\epsilon|^2+\epsilon\right)^\frac{p}{2} \] \((\epsilon >0)\), on which the theory of parabolic equations can be applied.