Continuous data dependence, regularization, and a three lines theorem for the heat equation with data in a space-like direction (Q796741)

On \(X\in R^ n\) consider the parabolic boundary value problem (A): \[ u_ t=u_{rr}+(n-1)r^{-1}u_ r,\quad r=| X|>r_ 0,\quad t>0,\quad u(r_ 0,0)=0,\quad r\geq r_ 0,\quad u(R_ 0,t)=f(t),\quad t>0, \] for the radially symmetric heat equation with data \(f\in L^ 2(0,\infty)\). A unique bounded solution is representable via Fourier analysis. Such a solution is log-convex because there is a constant \(A=A(n)\) such that \[ \| u(r,\cdot)\| \equiv \int^{\infty}_{- \infty}| u(r,t)|^ 2dt\leq A\| u(r_ 0,\cdot)\|^{\beta(r)}\| u(R,\cdot)\|^{1-\beta(r)} \] in \(r_ 0\leq r\leq R\) where \(\beta(r)=(R-r)/(R-r_ 0)\). Consequently, there are corollaries for continuous dependence and unique continuation analogous to those of \textit{S. Agmon} [Unicité et convexité dans les problèmes différentiels, No.13 (Montreal 1966; Zbl 0147.077)] for certain abstract DE's. This log-convex bound yields error estimates for the difference between an exact solution and a regularized solution. This result extends (to \(R^ n)\), simplifies (is derived from the Fourier transform representation of the solution rather than a priori estimates) and sharpens the results of \textit{A. Carasso} [Determining surface temperatures from interior observations, SIAM J. Appl. Math. 42, 558-574 (1982; Zbl 0498.35084)] for the one dimensional problem. Similarly for unique solutions of certain second order elliptic BVP on unbounded domains there is logarithmic convexity \(\| u(\cdot,t)\leq \| f\|^{1-t/T}\| u(\cdot,T)\|^{t/T}\). The related bound is analogous to the ''three lines theorem'' for the maximal modulus of a bounded analytic function in a half strip. A higher dimensional theory corresponding to the heat flow problem is built for the Laplacian with radial symmetry. There are concluding remarks and general observations indicating difficulty in trying to obtain the results herein from those of Agmon. One should note that the problems presented here are BVP and do not lend themselves to the methods of \textit{L. E. Payne} [Improperly Posed Problems in Partial Differential Equations (1975; Zbl 0302.35003)] et al which concern Cauchy problems for various initial-boundary value problems.