\(L^p\)-improving properties of averages on polynomial curves and related integral estimates (Q971493)

The optimal range for weak-type \(L^p\)-improving properties of averaging operators along curves is obtained, including the complete range just missed in the earlier work of \textit{T. Tao} and \textit{J. Wright} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 16, No. 3, 605--638 (2003; Zbl 1080.42007)]. One starts with an open ball \(U\subset \mathbb{R}^{d+1}\) and projections \(\pi_i:U\to\mathbb{R}^d\), \(i=1,2\) such that \(d\pi_i\) are surjective at every point. One defines \(R\) via \(\int_{\mathbb{R}^d} R f(y)\, g(y)\, dy=\int_U f(\pi_1(x))g(\pi_2(x))\psi(x)dx\) with \(\psi\) a suitable cutoff supported in \(U\). Let \(X_i\), \(i=1,2\) be nonvanishing vector fields on \(U\) such that \(d\pi_i(X_i)=0\) and suppose the \(k\)-fold commutator \(X_\epsilon=[X_{\epsilon_1}[X_{\epsilon_2}[\cdots[X_{\epsilon_{k-1}} X_{\epsilon_k}]\cdots]]]\) vanishes on \(U\) for large enough \(k\) and all \(\epsilon=(\epsilon_1,\dots,\epsilon_k)\in\{0,1\}^k\). Then \(R\) and \(R^\ast\) are given by averages over polynomial curves. The main theorem is stated as follows. Suppose that \(X_1,\, X_2,\dots \) are as above with \(X_{j+2}=X_j\), \(x_0\in U\) and \(\Phi_{x_0} (t_1,\dots, t_{d+1})=\exp (t_1X_1)\circ \cdots \circ \exp (t_{d+1} X_{d+1})(x_0)\). Let \(J_{x_0}(t)\) be the Jacobian determinant of \(\Phi_{x_0}\). If \(\partial_t^\alpha J_{x_0}(t)\neq 0\) at \(t=0\) for some multi-index \(\alpha\) then \(R\) satisfies the restricted weak-type estimate \[ \Bigl|\int_U \chi_F (\pi_1(x))\chi_G(\pi_2(x)) \psi(x)\, dx\Bigr| \leq C |F|^{1/{p_1}}|G|^{1/{p_2}} \] when \(\psi\) is supported in a small enough neighborhood of \(x_0\) and \(p_1=(A_1+A_2-1)/A_1\) and \(p_2=(A_1+A_2-1)/A_2\), where \[ A_1=\bigl\lceil{d+1\over 2}\bigr\rceil+\alpha_1+\cdots+\alpha_{2\lceil{d+1\over 2}\rceil-1};\quad A_2=\bigl\lceil{d+1\over 2}\bigr\rceil+\alpha_2+\cdots+\alpha_{2\lceil{d+1\over 2}\rceil}. \] An important ingredient in the proof is a uniform estimate for polynomials stated as follows: If \(K\subset\mathbb{R}\) is measurable then for any \(n=1,2,\dots\) and \(\epsilon\in (0,1)\) there is an interval \(I\), \(|K\cap I|\geq (1-\epsilon)|K|/n\) and \(c_{n,\epsilon}\) such that \[ \int_K |p(t)|\, dt\geq c_{n,\epsilon} |K|^{j+1}\sup_{t\in I}|p^{j}(t)| \] for any polynomial \(p\) of degree at most \(n\) and each \(k=0,\dots, n\). A general version of this result is established involving averages with respect to probability measures and functions of {\textit{polynomial type}}. The combinatorial proof reduces to the idea of estimating higher derivatives via sampling at a finite number of points. Extension from one dimension to higher dimensions involves counting solutions of iterated flows in which the vector fields must be lifted to a nilpotent Lie group in order to produce a setting in which flows correspond to polynomial mappings.