Optimal couples of rearrangement invariant spaces for generalized maximal operators (Q2443804)

For positive integer \(n\), the Euclidean \(n\)-dimensional space is denoted by \(\mathbb{R}^n\), the Lebesgue measure of subset \(A\) of \(\mathbb{R}^n\) is denoted by \(|A|\), and the space of measurable functions which are finite on sets of finite measure is denoted by \(L_{\text{loc}}\). The set of nonnegative functions in \(L_{\text{loc}}\) is denoted by \(L\). If \(\phi\) is a nonnegative function on \((0,\infty)\), then the generalized maximal operator \(M_\phi\) is defined by \[ M_\phi(f)(x)= \sup\Biggl\{\phi(|B|)^{-1} \int_B |f(y)|\,dy,\;x\in B\Biggr\},\;f\in L_{\text{loc}}. \] If \(f\in L_{\text{loc}}\), then the distribution function \(\mu_f\) and the nonincreasing arrangement \(f^*\) are defined by \[ \mu_f(t)= |\{x\in\mathbb{R}^n: |f(x)|> t\}|,\;t> 0,\;f^*(x)= \text{inf}\{t> 0: \mu_f(t)\leq x\}. \] The function \(\rho: L\to(0,\infty)\) is said to be a quasi-norm if, in particular, \(\rho(f+g)\leq c\{\rho(f)+ \rho(g)\}\), where \(c\geq 1\) is a finite constant. The subspace \(E\) of \(L\) is said to be rearrangement invariant with quasi-norm \(\|.\|_E\) defined by \(\| f\|_E= \rho_E(f^*)\) if \(f\in E\) and \(g^*= f^*\) implies \(g\in E\). The pair \((E,G)\) of rearrangement invariant spaces is said to be an admissible couple if \(M_\phi: E\to G\) and \(\rho_G(M_\phi(|f|)^*)\leq \rho_E(f^*)\), \(f\in L\). Results of the first of the main theorems of this paper indicate that: if \(\rho_E, \rho_G\) are `monotone' quasi-norms, \(\rho_E\) satisfies Minkowski's inequality and a condition relating to Boyd indices, then the pair \((E,G)\) is admissible if and only if \(\rho_G(T(g))\leq \rho_E(g)\), where \[ T(g)(t)= \phi(t)^{-1} \int^t_0 g(\xi)\,d\xi. \] Additional conditions involving Boyd indices are included to ascertain that the pair constitutes an optimal couple.