The Dirichlet problem for elliptic-hyperbolic equations of Keldysh type (Q643037)

The lecture notes were written by the author to supplement a series of ten lectures given at Henan University in the summer of 2010. They are intended for graduate students and researchers in pure or applied analysis with a background in functional analysis -- including Sobolev spaces -- and the basic theory of partial differential equations. The book contains 6 chapters (every one with its references), summary, addenda, directions for future research and index. It is well-known that partial differential equations of mixed elliptic-hyperbolic type arise in diverse areas of physics and geometry, including fluid and plasma dynamics, optics, cosmology, traffic engineering, projective geometry, geometric variational theory, etc. Unfortunately, even the linear theory of these equations is at a very early stage. The course describes various Dirichlet problems which can be formulated for equations of Keldysh type. The author considers a second-order linear differential operator \(L\) acting on a scalar function \(u(x, y)\), for \((x, y)\in\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^2\), supposing that \(L\) is of elliptic type on a subdomain \(\Omega^+\), of hyperbolic type on a subdomain \(\Omega^-\), and of parabolic type on a smooth curve \(\xi\) (the parabolic curve) separating \(\Omega^+\) and \(\Omega^-\). Then it is always possible to find a nonnegative integer \(m\), and a real, nonsingular transformation of the independent variables, which in a neighborhood of some given point on \(\xi\) transforms \(L\) into one of two canonical forms, either \[ L_T\equiv y^{2m+1} u_{xx}+ u_{yy}+ \text{lower-order terms} \] or \[ L_K\equiv u_{xx}+ y^{2m+1} u_{yy}+ \text{lower-order terms}. \] A differential equation for which the differential operator \(L\) can be transformed locally into an operator of the form \(L_T\) is said to be of Tricomi type, whereas a differential equation for which the differential operator \(L\) can be transformed locally into an operator of the form \(L_K\) is said to be of Keldysh type. Open boundary conditions (in which data are prescribed on the entire boundary) are both considered. Existence for solutions for the corresponding formulation of boundary conditions is shown in an appropriate function space. Specific applications on projective spaces are discussed.