Averages over hypersurfaces. Smoothness of generalized Radon transforms (Q909928)

This paper extends some previous variable coefficient maximal theorems of the authors to three or more dimensions. Under the assumption that the rotational curvature condition of Phong and Stein does not vanish of infinite order it is shown that the maximal functions \(\sup_{0<t<t_ 0}\int_{S_{x,t}}| f(y)| d\sigma (y)|\) are bounded on \(L^ p\) for a range of finite exponents. Here \(S_{x,t}\) is a family of hypersurfaces which vary smoothly with the parameters and \(d\sigma\) is the induced Lebesgue measure. In the case of non-vanishing rotational curvature, the result would follow from \(L^ 2\) estimates for Fourier integral operators and interpolation. However, under the assumption of non-degeneracy of rotational curvature it does not appear that the result follows from known results in microlocal analysis. The authors get around this by proving \(L^ 2\) estimates for certain homogeneous oscillatory integrals which involve the defining functions of the surfaces. The authors also show that the oscillatory integral theorems can be used to give an alternative proof of the local smoothing theorem for (time dependent) Schrödinger operators which is due to Sjölin, Vega, and Constantin and Saut.