Global existence theorem for semilinear wave equations with non-compact data in two space dimensions (Q687480)

This paper is devoted to the semilinear wave equation in space dimension \(n=2\) \[ \square u= | u|^ p \quad \text{ on }\quad \mathbb{R}_ t\times \mathbb{R}^ n \qquad (p>1) \] with small and smooth initial data \(u(0,x)= f(x)\), \(u_ t(0,x)= g(x)\). If \(f\) and \(g\) have compact support, we know after \textit{R. T. Glassey} [Math. Z. 177, 323-340 (1981; Zbl 0453.35059), and ibid. 178, 233-261 (1981; Zbl 0459.35053)] and \textit{J. Schaeffer} [Proc. R. Soc. Edinb., Sect. A 101, 31-44 (1985; Zbl 0592.35080)], that for \(p> (3+ \sqrt{17})/2\) there is global solution, whereas for \(p\leq (3+ \sqrt{17})/2\) the solution blows-up in finite time as soon as \(\int g dx>0\). Here, following \textit{F. Asakura} who had considered the same problem for \(n=3\) [Commun. Partial Differ. Equations 11, 1459-1487 (1986; Zbl 0612.35089)], the author investigates the case when the initial data are not compact supported, and proves the following result: Let \(p> (3+ \sqrt{17})/2\). Then, if the initial data satisfy the decay condition \[ \sum_{|\alpha |\leq 2} (| D^ \alpha f(x)|+ | D^ \alpha \nabla f(x)|+ | D^ \alpha g(x)|)\leq \varepsilon (1+| x|)^{-\nu} \] for some \(\nu> (p+1)/ (p-1)\) and \(\varepsilon\) sufficiently small, there is global solution, whereas, if \(g(x)\geq \varepsilon_ 0 (1+ | x|)^{- \nu}\) for some \(\nu< (p+1)/ (p-1)\), \(\varepsilon_ 0>0\), the solution blows-up. The same conclusions hold true for the more general equation \(\square u= F(u)\), provided that \(F(u)\) behaves, at \(u=0\), like \(| u|^ p\) up to the second order derivatives.