Regularization of the Cauchy problem for the Laplace equation (Q471421)

The authors consider a regularization method for the Laplace equation with Cauchy initial conditions. Let \(\Omega\) be an arbitrary bounded open (normal) domain. They consider the Laplace equation \[ {\partial^2 u(x,t)\over\partial t}+\Delta u(x,t)= 0,\quad x\in\Omega,\quad t> 0,\tag{1} \] with Cauchy initial conditions \[ u(x,0)= \phi(x),\quad {u(x,0)\over\partial t}= 0,\quad x\in\Omega,\tag{2} \] and with the boundary condition \[ u= 0,\quad x\in\partial\Omega.\tag{3} \] Let \(\{v_k\}^\infty_{k=1}\) be a complete orthonormal system of eigenfunctions of the Laplace operator \[ \Delta u_k(x)= \lambda_k u_k(x),\quad x\in\Omega, \] with the Dirichlet boundary condition (3). Then, the solution of (1)--(3) has the form \[ u(x,t)= \sum^\infty_{k=1}\cosh\sqrt{\lambda_k} t(\phi, v_k) v_k(x). \] For \(\alpha>0\) define \[ u_\alpha(x,t)= \sum^\infty_{k=1}\cosh\sqrt{\lambda_k} te^{-\alpha\lambda_k t}(\phi, v_k) v_k(x). \] Then, the authors prove the three theorems below. Theorem 1. Let \(0\leq\tau\leq 1\). If \(u(x,T)\in W^{2\tau,0}_2(\Omega)\), then \[ \| u(x,T)- u_\alpha(x, T)\|_{L^2}\leq C\alpha^\tau\| u(x, T)\|_{W^{2\tau, 0}_2}.\tag{4} \] Theorem 2. Let the estimate (4) be satisfied for some \(\tau>0\). Then, \(u(x,t)\equiv 0\) for \(x\in\Omega\) and \(0\leq t\leq T\). Theorem 3. Let \(0<\tau<1\) and \(l\geq n/2+ 2\tau\). If \(f(x)= u(x,T)\in W^{l,0}_2(\Omega)\), then the estimate \[ u(x,t)- u_\alpha(x,t)= O(\alpha^T),\quad x\in\Omega,\quad 0\leq t\leq T, \] holds true.