Propagation of Gevrey singularities for a class of operators with triple characteristics. I (Q2640780)

From the authors' Introduction: It is well known that the Cauchy problem in the \(C^{\infty}\) category for hyperbolic operators with multiple characteristics is well-posed, only if in general some Levi conditions on the lower order terms are satisfied. For instance, in the case of double characteristics, complete results have been obtained by \textit{V. Ya. Ivrij} [Trans. Mosc. Math. Soc. 34, 149-168 (1978; Zbl 0403.35060) and ibid. 1981, No.1, 87-119 (1981; Zbl 0461.35089)] and \textit{L. Hörmander} [J. Anal. Math. 32, 118-196 (1977; Zbl 0367.35054)]. On the other hand if one considers the same problem in the Gevrey classes \(G^ s\), one realizes that Levi conditions on the lower order terms have to be imposed only if the Gevrey index s is greater or equal to a certain critical index, which in this case is equal to 2. For a very complete description of propagation of \(G^ s\) singularities in case of hyperbolic operators with double characteristics, see \textit{B. Lascar} [Am. J. Math. 110, No.3, 413-449 (1988; Zbl 0653.35085)]. For general hyperbolic operators with multiple characteristics almost nothing is known about the conditions on the lower order terms which guarantee the well-posedness of the Cauchy problem in the \(C^{\infty}\) category. For general results when s is sufficiently small, however, see \textit{K. Kajitani} and \textit{S. Wakabayashi} [Microhyperbolic operators in Gevrey classes, preprint (1987)]. In this paper our aim has been to prove a propagation result in \(G^ s\), \(1<s<+\infty\), in the form of a microlocal Holmgren uniqueness theorem, for a class of hyperbolic operators with triple characteristics. We now have three critical indices, 3/2,2,3 and here it has been possible to elucidate what kind of Levi conditions are sufficient depending on where s is located, in order to get microlocal uniqueness. We also would like to remark that these conditions are very close to being necessary, see e.g. \textit{E. Bernardi} and \textit{A. Bove} [Necessary and sufficient conditions for the well-posedness of the Cauchy problem for a class of hyperbolic operators with triple characteristics, preprint (1988)], where this has been proved for a different, but similar class of operators.