A logarithmic Hardy inequality (Q992796)

Connections between the Hardy-type inequalities in \(\mathbb R^d\), \(d\geq3\), e.g., \[ \int_{\mathbb R^d}\frac{|u|^2}{|x|^2}\,dx \leq\,\frac4{(d-2)^2}\int_{\mathbb R^d}|\nabla u|^2\,dx, \] (for \(u\) from the class \(\mathcal D(\mathbb R^d)\) of smooth compactly supported functions) and logarithmic Sobolev-type inequalities, e.g., \[ \int_{\mathbb R^d}|u|^2\log|u|^2\,dx\leq \frac d2\log\Big(\frac2{\pi\,d\,e}\int_{\mathbb R^d}|\nabla u|^2\,dx\Big) \] (for \(u\) from the Hardy space \(H^1(\mathbb R^d)\) such that \(\int_{\mathbb R^d}u^2=1\)) are investigated. Denote by \(\mathcal D^{1,2}(\mathbb R^d)\) the completion of \(\mathcal D(\mathbb R^d)\) under the \(L^2(\mathbb R^d)\)-norm of the gradient of \(u\), and \(\text{S}:=\frac1{\pi d(d-2)}(\Gamma(d)/\Gamma(d/2))^{2/d}\). One of the results is the logarithmic Hardy inequality \[ \int_{\mathbb R^d}\frac{|u|^2}{|x|^2}\log(|x|^{d-2}|u|^2)\,dx \leq\frac d2\log\Big(C_{LH}\int_{\mathbb R^d}|\nabla u|^2\,dx\Big) \] for all \(u\in\mathcal D^{1,2}(\mathbb R^d)\) such that \(\int_{\mathbb R^d}\frac{|u|^2}{|x|^2}\,dx=1\) with a constant \(C_{LH}\in(0,\text{S}]\) independent of \(u\). Under the additional assumption that the functions \(u\) are radially symmetric the constant \(C_{LH}\) can be computed precisely and an extremal function for the inequality is found. Analogous inequalities (for both non-radial and radial cases) with \(|x|^{-2a}\,dx\) instead of \(dx\) are also derived. Using an Emden-Fowler transformation these inequalities can be rewritten as inequalities on the cylinder. Explicit expressions of the sharp constant, as well as extremals, are also established in the radial case.