Scale invariant elliptic operators with singular coefficients (Q505989)

In this paper, the authors study the operator \[ Lu = |x|^{\alpha}\Delta +c|x|^{\alpha-1}\frac{x}{|x|}\cdot\nabla-b|x|^{\alpha-2} \] for \(N\geqslant1\), \(1<p<\infty\) and \(\alpha, b, c\in\mathbb{R}\) in the space \(L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\). More precisely, they treat the questions (i) if there is a domain \(D(L)\) such that \(L: D(L)\subseteq L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\rightarrow L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\) generates a \(C_0\)-semigroup, (ii) which properties (positive, bounded, analytic, contraction, etc.) the semigroup enjoys, and (iii) how the domain \(D(L)\) can be characterized explicitly. The authors consider a minimal realization \(L_{\operatorname{min}}\) of \(L\) which is the closure of \(L: C_c^{\infty}(\mathbb{R}^N)\subseteq L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\rightarrow L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\) and a maximal realization \(L_{\operatorname{max}}\) with domain \[D(L_{\operatorname{max}})=\{u\in W_{\operatorname{loc}}^{2,p}(\mathbb{R}^N\setminus\{0\})\cap L^p(\mathbb{R}^N):Lu\in L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\}.\] With this notation, the main results of the present paper are the following. \begin{itemize}\item[(1)] If \(\alpha\not=2\) and \(b+(N-2+c)^2/4>0\), then there exists \(D(L_{\operatorname{min}})\subseteq D(L)\subseteq D(L_{\operatorname{max}})\) such that \(L: D(L)\subseteq L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\rightarrow L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\) generates a \(C_0\)-semigroup if and only if \(s_1+\min\{0,2-\alpha\}<N/p<s_2+\max\{0,2-\alpha\}\) holds, where \(s_i\) are the solutions of the equation \(b+s(N-2+c-s)=0\). \item[(2)] If \(\alpha\not=2\) and \(b+(N-2+c)^2/4=0\), then there exists \(D(L_{\operatorname{min}})\subseteq D(L)\subseteq D(L_{\operatorname{max}})\) such that \(L: D(L)\subseteq L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\rightarrow L^p(\mathbb{R}^N)\) generates a \(C_0\)-semigroup if and only if \(s_0+\min\{0,2-\alpha\}<N/p<s_2+\max\{0,2-\alpha\}\) holds, where \(s_0=(N-2+c)/2\). \item[(3)] In both cases, the semigroups are bounded analytic and positive. Their domains are given explicitly in the proofs of (1) and (2). \end{itemize} For special choices of \(\alpha, b, c\) it was studied in previous papers if \(L_{\operatorname{min}}\) admits $m$-dissipative extensions that generate semigroups of contractions. In the present paper, more general parameters are considered and the generation question is investigated in a broader sense.