No label defined (Q4953998)

This book presents an expanded version of lectures given by the author at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences on the theory of Sobolev spaces on Riemannian manifolds. Let \((M,g)\) be a smooth Riemannian manifold. For a positive integer \(k\) and a smooth function \(u: M\to \mathbb R\), \(\nabla^ku\) denotes the \(k\)-th covariant derivative of \(u\) and \(\|\nabla^ku\|\) is the norm of \(\nabla^ku\) defined in a local chart by \(\|\nabla^ku\|=g^{i_1j_1}\dots g^{i_kj_k}(\nabla^ku)_{i_1}\dots_{i_k}(\nabla^ku)_{j_1}\dots_{j_k}\) with \((\nabla u)_i=\partial_i u\) and \((\nabla ^2u)_{ij}=\partial_{ij} u-\Gamma_{ij}^k\partial_k u\). Let \(\mathcal C^p_k(M)=\{u\); \(\int_{M}\|\nabla^ju\|^p dv(g)<+\infty,\;j=0,\dots,k\}\). For a Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) the Sobolev space \(H^p_k(M)\) is defined as the completion of \(\mathcal C^p_k(M)\) with respect to the norm \(\|u\|_{H^p_k}=\sum_{j=0}^k(\int_{M}\|\nabla^ju\|^p dv(g))^{1/p}\). This space can be viewed as a subspace of the Lebesgue space \(L^p(M)\) with the norm \(\|u\|_{L^p}= (\int_M\|u\|^p dv(g))^{1/p}\). The main topic of this book is the discussion on the problem of best constants in Sobolev inequalities on Riemannian manifolds. The author considers the following Sobolev inequality on a Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\): \[ \|u\|^2_{L^{2n/(n-2)}}\leq A \|du\|_{L^2}^2+B \|u\|^2_{L^2}\tag \(*\) \] and its \(L^p\) analogue. The book is organized into nine chapters. Chapter 1 offers a brief introduction to Riemannian geometry. Chapter 2 deals with the general theory of Sobolev spaces for compact manifolds. Chapter 3 presents the general theory of Sobolev spaces for complete, noncompact manifolds. The inequality is shown on complete Riemannian manifolds with Ricci curvature bounded from below and with a uniform lower bound on the volume of geodesic balls of radius \(1\). Best constants problems for compact manifolds are discussed in Chapters 4 and 5. \textit{T.~Aubin} [Bull. Sci. Math., II. Ser. 100, 149-173 (1976; Zbl 0328.46030)] has shown that for a complete Riemannian manifold with bounded curvature and positive injectivity radius for every \(A\) strictly greater than the Euclidean constant \(K(n,2)= \inf\{\|du\|_{L^2({\mathbf R}^n)}\); \(\|u\|^2_{L^{2n/(n-2)}}=1 \}\) there is a constant \(B\) such that the Sobolev inequality \((*)\) holds. The author and \textit{M.~Vaugon} [Duke Math. J. 79, No. 1, 235-279 (1995; Zbl 0839.53030)] have shown that for a complete Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) with positive injectivity radius and such that the curvature and the covariant derivative of the curvature are bounded there is a constant \(B\) such that the Sobolev inequality \(\|u\|^2_{L^{2n/(n-2)}}\leq K(n,2) \|du\|_{L^2}^2+B\|u\|^2_{L^2}\) holds. The author presents these results and other results of this type. Chapter 6 presents special types of Sobolev inequalities under constraints. Best constants problems for complete noncompact manifolds are discussed in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 deals with Euclidean-type Sobolev inequalities, i.e., when in the preceding Sobolev inequality \(B=0\). Chapter 9 discusses the influence of symmetries on Sobolev embeddings. Finally, an appendix offers brief notes on the case of manifolds with boundaries. The role of best constants is very important in nonlinear analysis, and the book provides some applications of the Sobolev inequalities to Yamabe-type equations. The book is highly self-contained. At the end there is a comprehensive bibliography with 203 entries.