The global Goursat problem and scattering for nonlinear wave equations (Q2644863)

The aim of the authors is to treat the global Goursat problem for nonlinear scalar equations, in which a date is given on the lightcone, from several points of view, and especially in relation to scattering theory. They make the study in the generalized Einstein Universe \(\tilde M\) rather than in \((n+1)\)-dimensional Minkowski space \(M_ 0\), which is covariantly embedded in \(\tilde M.\) The boundary of \(M_ 0\) as thus embedded consists of two lightcones \(C_{\pm}\), which represent the limits of spacelike surfaces in \(M_ 0\) as the Minkowski time approaches \(\pm \infty\). By considering this fact they define two wave operators \(\Omega_{\pm}\) which associate to a solution \(\phi\) of a nonlinear wave equation its Goursat data \(\phi |_{C_{\pm}}\). The inverse of these operators are constructed as the maps from incoming or outgoing free fields to the corresponding solution of the nonlinear wave equation in question. The authors study the existence and continuity of \(\Omega_{\pm}\) as well as their inverses \(\Omega_{\pm}^{-1}\) in the Einstein energy topology. The paper includes several theorems on local and global existence of solutions of nonlinear versions of the conformal wave equation given Goursat data in a finite energy space.