Global \(W^{2,p}\) estimates for nondivergence elliptic operators with potentials satisfying a reverse Hölder condition (Q415457)

Let \[ L(u)=Au+Vu=-\sum_{i,j=1}^na_{ij}u_{i,j}+Vu \] where \(a_{ij}\in L^\infty(\mathbb R^n), \;a_{ij}=a_{ji}\), \[ \mu |\xi|^2\leq \sum_{i,j=1}^na_{ij}(x)\xi_i\xi_j\leq \frac 1\mu |\xi|^2, \;\;\;\text{for all } x,\xi \in \mathbb R^n, \;\;\text{for some} \;\;\mu >0, \] and \(a_{ij}\in VMO(\mathbb R^n).\) The potential \(V\) is in \(L^\infty_{loc}(\mathbb R^n), \;V\geq 0\), such that, for some \(C>0\), \[ (\frac 1{|B|}\int_BV(x)^q \,dx)^{\frac 1q}\leq C\frac 1{|B|}\int_B V(x) \,dx \] holds for every ball \(B\) in \(\mathbb R^n\). The first result of this paper is the following \(L^p\) estimate of \(L(u)\). Theorem. For every \(p\in (1,q]\), there exists a constant \(C\) such that \[ \|u\|_{W^{2,p}(\mathbb R^n)}+\|Vu\|_{L^p(\mathbb R^n)} \leq C(\|Lu\|_{L^p(\mathbb R^n)}+\|u\|_{L^p(\mathbb R^n)}) \tag{1} \] for all \(u\in C^\infty_0(\mathbb R^n)\). The constant \(C\) only depends on \(n,p,q\) and the constants above. To prove these global estimates, the authors first establish the following two local estimates. Let \(B_r(z_0)\) be the ball in \(\mathbb R^n\) with center at \(z_0\) and radius \(r\), then, for all \(u\in C^\infty_0(B_r(z_0))\), \[ \|Vu\|_{L^p(B_r(z_0))}\leq C\|Lu\|_{L^p(B_r(z_0))}. \] \[ \|D^2u\|_{L^p(B_r(z_0))}\leq C\|Au\|_{L^p(B_r(z_0))}. \] Using a partition of unity, the authors obtain global estimates from the local estimates. The second main result of this paper concerns the existence and uniqueness of solutions of the equation \[ Lu+\lambda u=f, \] where \(\lambda\) is any positive real number. Let \(W^{2,p}_V(\mathbb R^n)\) be the space of functions such that the norm \[ \|u\|_{W^{2,p}_V(\mathbb R^n)}= \|u\|_{W^{2,p}(\mathbb R^n)}+\|Vu\|_{L^p(\mathbb R^n)} \] is finite. Theorem. For every \(p\in (1,q]\), there exists a constant \(C\) such that \[ \|u\|_{W^{2,p}_V(\mathbb R^n)} \leq C(\|Lu+\lambda u\|_{L^p(\mathbb R^n)} \tag{2} \] for all \(u\in W^{2,p}_V(\mathbb R^n)\). The constant \(C\) only depends on \(n,p,q\) and the constants above. Moreover, for every \(f\in L^p(\mathbb R^n)\) there exists a unique \(u\in W^{2,p}_V(\mathbb R^n)\) such that \(Lu+\lambda u=f\). Once the estimate (2) is known to hold, the existence and uniqueness of the solution can be proved by the method of continuity. To derive estimate (2), the authors first apply estimate (1) and use Agmon's trick to prove that (2) is true for sufficient large \(\lambda\). Then, by Krylov's method, the authors prove that (2) is true for all \(\lambda >0\) for some suitably chosen \(C\).