Optimal derivative loss for abstract wave equations (Q6046103)

In the present paper, the authors study the following linear abstract Cauchy problem \[ u''+c(t) A u=0, \quad u(0)=u_0, \quad u'(0)=u_1,\tag{1} \] where \(A\) is supposed to be a linear nonnegative self-adjoint operator with domain \(D(A)\) in some real Hilbert space \(H\). The time-dependent coefficient \(c=c(t)\) is taken from the class \(\mathcal{PS}(T_0,\mu_1,\mu_2,\omega,\theta)\) of functions defined on the close interval \([0,T_0]\) and satisfy the following conditions: \[ 0 < \mu_1 \leq c(t) \leq \mu_2 <\infty,\quad |c(t)-c(s)| \leq \omega(|t-s|),\ t,s \in [0,T_0],\quad |c'(t)|\leq \theta(t). \tag{2} \] Here \(\omega=\omega(\tau)\) is a modulus of continuity and \(\theta=\theta(\tau)\) may become unbounded for \(t \to +0\). The first two conditions of (2) are satisfied pointwise for all \((s,t)\in [0,T_0] \times [0,T_0]\). The third condition is satisfied for almost all \(t \in (0,T_0]\). It is known from previous papers of the community that the interplay between influence from \(\omega\) and \(\theta\) determine the loss of regularity of solutions to (1) in comparison with the regularity of the given data. This is the main concern of the present paper, too. The authors introduce a key quantity \(m=m(\lambda), \lambda>0,\) which determines the regularity loss. Here \(m(\lambda)\) is defined as follows: \[ m(\lambda):=\min_{s \in [0,T_0]} \Big\{ \lambda \omega\Big(\frac{1}{\lambda}\Big)s + \int_s^{T_0} \theta(\tau) d\tau \Big\}.\tag{3} \] A spectral theoretical argument allows to reduce the study of (1) to the study of the family of ordinary differential equations \[ u''_\lambda + \lambda^2 c(t) u_\lambda=0, \quad \lambda >0.\tag{4} \] A first result provides an energy estimate for solutions to (4). It consists of two parts. \begin{itemize} \item For a given coefficient \(c \in\mathcal{PS}(T_0,\mu_1,\mu_2,\omega,\theta)\) one has the following energy estimate to above: \[ u_{\lambda}'(t)^2 + \lambda^2 u_{\lambda}(t)^2 \leq C_1(u_{\lambda}'(0)^2 + \lambda^2 u_{\lambda}(0)^2)\exp(C_2 m(\lambda)),\ \lambda>0,\ t\in [0,T_0].\tag{5} \] \item Let \(m(\lambda)\) tend to \(\infty\) for \(\lambda \to \infty\). Then for every sequence \(\{\lambda_n\}_n\), which tends to infinity, the \textit{set of coefficients \(c \in \mathcal{PS}(T_0,\mu_1,\mu_2,\omega,\theta)\)} such that solutions to (4) with data \(u_{\lambda_n}(0)=0, \,u'_{\lambda_n}(0)=1\) satisfy \[ \limsup_{n \to \infty} \big(u_{\lambda_n}'(t)^2 + \lambda_n^2 u_{\lambda_n}(t)^2 \big) \exp(C_3 m(\lambda_n)) \geq 1 \quad \text{for all}\quad t \in (0,T_0]. \tag{6} \] is \textit{residual in the sense of Baire category}. \end{itemize} Both estimates (5) and (6) yield two results for the abstract Cauchy problem (1). \begin{itemize} \item For a given coefficient \(c \in\mathcal{PS}(T_0,\mu_1,\mu_2,\omega,\theta)\) the loss of regularity of solutions to (1) can be determined. \item If the operator \(A\) is unbounded, then the \textit{set of coefficients \(c\in\mathcal{PS}(T_0,\mu_1,\mu_2,\omega,\theta)\)} for which this determined loss of regularity is really optimal is \textit{residual in the sense of Baire category}. \end{itemize}