The analysis and geometry of Hardy's inequality (Q495604)

Hardy's general inequality may be stated as \[ \int_\Omega|\nabla u(x)|^pdx\geq c(p,\Omega)\,\int_\Omega |u(x)|^p/\delta(x)^p\,dx, \] \(u\in C^\infty_0(\Omega)\), where \(\Omega\) is a domain in \(\mathbb{R}^n\), with non-empty boundary \(\partial\Omega\), \(\delta(x)\) is the distance from \(x\in\Omega\) to \(\partial\Omega\), \(1\leq p<\infty\), and \(C(p,\Omega)\) is a positive constant depending on \(p\) and \(\Omega\) in general. The original continuous form of this inequality was for \(\Omega= (0,\infty)\), \(\delta(x)=|x|\) and appeared in a paper by \textit{G. H. Hardy} [Math. Z. 6, 314--317 (1920; JFM 47.0207.01)], motivated by the work of Hardy on a discrete analogue and a double series inequality by Hilbert. Hardy's inequality and its extensions and refinements are not only of intrinsic interest but are indispensable tools in many areas of mathematics and mathematical physics. The study of such inequalities necessitates also a detailed investigation of important geometric properties of the domain of integration and also of its boundary. The book contains six chapters and covers also other topics as Hardy-Sobolev-Maz'ya inequalities; inequalities of Hardy-type involving magnetic fields; Hardy, Sobolev and Cwikel-Lieb-Rosenbaum inequalities for Pauli operators; as well as Rellich's inequality. The book requires a good basic knowledge of real and complex analysis and is suitable for a graduate course in mathematics and/or physics. The scientists interested in these fields may find an up-to-date account of research of contemporary interest.