Solvability of the cohomological equation for regular vector fields on the plane (Q629922)

The author studies the image of the Lie derivative \({\mathcal L}_\xi\) acting on smooth functions, for a planar vector field \(\xi\) without zeros. He proves in Theorem 1 that if the vector field \(\xi\) is not topologically conjugated to the constant vector field then \({\mathcal L}_\xi\) has an infinite-dimensional cokernel. This generalizes the results of \textit{S. P. Novikov} [Contemp. Math. 469, 271--287 (2008; Zbl 1156.58003)] and \textit{G. Forni} [Ann. Math. (2) 146, No.~2, 295--344 (1997; Zbl 0893.58037)] from compact surfaces to the plane. In Theorem 2, the author extends the results of \textit{J. L. Weiner} in [Pac. J. Math. 132, No.~1, 195--208 (1988; Zbl 0649.35017)] and shows that, under some assumptions regarding the integral curves of \(\xi\), the vector field is transversal to a Hamiltonian foliation. The results are explicitly used to obtain a subalgebra in the image of \({\mathcal L}_\xi\) and to construct an embedding of \(\mathbb R^2\) into \(\mathbb R^4\) that rectifies \(\xi\). This embedding is very useful for characterizing the function in the image of \({\mathcal L}_\xi\).