Gaussian estimates for second-order operators with unbounded coefficients (Q5939802)

Let \(\Omega\) be an open subset of \({\mathbb R}^n\). The author considers the second-order form \(E(u,v)=\int_{\Omega} a(x)\nabla u(x)\nabla v(x) dx + \int_{\Omega} b_1(x) \nabla u(x) v(x) dx + \int_{\Omega} b_2(x) \nabla v(x) u(x) dx + \int_{\Omega} c(x)u(x)v(x) dx\), where \(a,c\in L^1_{\text{loc}}\), \(b_1,b_2\in L^q+L^{\infty}\) for some \(q>n/2\), \(a\) is uniformly elliptic on \(\Omega\) and \(a_{i,j}-a_{j,i}\in L^{\infty}\). Assume that all the coefficients are real-valued. The form \(E\) is well-defined when \(u,v\in W^{1,\infty}_0(\Omega)\) (Dirichlet boundary condition). Let \(A\) be the operator associated with the closure of \(E\). Under the previous assumptions, \(-A\) generates a continuous quasi-contractive positive semigroup on \(L^p\) for all \(1<p<+\infty\). Assume furthermore that \(b_1,b_2,c\) are in some \(L^p\) spaces. Then, \(T_t\) is ultracontractive, and the kernel of \(T_t\) is nonnegative and satisfies a pseudo-Gaussian upper estimate. Moreover, if \(A_p\) is the generator of \(T_t\) on \(L^p\), the spectrum of \(A_p\) does not depend on \(p\). When the \(a_{i,j}\)'s are bounded, \(A\) has maximal \(L^p-L^q\) regularity for \(1<p,q<+\infty\). Finally, the analyticity of \(T_t\) on \(L^1\) is discussed. These results generalize theorems of Aronson, Arendt and ter Elst, Daners.