A class of nowhere differentiable functions satisfying some concavity-type estimate

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Abstract: In this paper, we introduce and investigate a class P of continuous and periodic functions on R. The class P is defined so that second-order central differences of a function satisfy some concavity-type estimate. Although this definition seems to be independent of nowhere differentiable character, it turns out that each function in P is nowhere differentiable. The class P naturally appear from both a geometrical viewpoint and an analytic viewpoint. In fact, we prove that a function belongs to P if and only if some geometrical inequality holds for a family of parabolas with vertexes on this function. As its application, we study the behavior of the Hamilton Jacobi flow starting from a function in P. A connection between P and some functional series is also investigated. In terms of second-order central differences, we give a necessary and sufficient condition so that a function given by the series belongs to P. This enables us to construct a large number of examples of functions in P through an explicit formula.


A class \(\mathcal P\) of continuous nowhere differentiable functions is described in terms of second-order differences defined with respect to dyadic rationals (the approach includes the reknown Takagi function [\textit{T. Takagi}, Tokio Math. Ges. 1, 176--177 (1903; JFM 34.0410.05)], which actually motivates such construction of \(\mathcal P\)). Namely, for a 1-periodic continuous function \(f\) on \(\mathbb R\), forward and backward differential quotients are defined, \begin{align*} \delta_{n,k}^+(y;f)&=\frac{r^n}{1-y}\cdot\left(f\left(\frac{k+1}{r^n}\right)-f\left(\frac{k+y}{r^n}\right)\right),\\ \delta_{n,k}^-(y;f)&=\frac{r^n}{1-y}\cdot\left(f\left(\frac{k+y}{r^n}\right)-f\left(\frac k{r^n}\right)\right), \end{align*} \(n\in\mathbb N\cup\{0\}\), \(k\in\mathbb Z\), \(y\in(0,1)\), which then give rise to a second-order difference \[\delta_{n,k}^+(y;f)-\delta_{n,k}^-(y;f).\] The function \(f\) belongs to \(\mathcal P_c\), \(c>0\), if, by definition, the above difference is \(\le-c\) for all \(n,k,y\). Finally, \(\mathcal P=\bigcup_{c>0}\mathcal P_c\). A relatively easy proof shows that every \(f\in\mathcal P\) is nowhere differentiable. Next, the authors consider how a ty\-pi\-cal approach to construction of continuous nowhere differentiable functions (via a series of functions; the Takagi or Weierstrass function case) fits into \(\mathcal P\). A criterion on a continuous 1-periodic function \(\psi\colon\mathbb R\to\mathbb R\) guaranteeing that \(U_\psi\) defined as \(U_\psi(x)=\sum_{j=0}^\infty\psi(r^jx)/r^j\), \(r\ge2\) an integer, belongs to \(\mathcal P\) is presented (Theorem 3.5). Moreover, a geometric condition corresponding to a mutual position of some parabolas with vertices on the graph of \(f\), is related to the class~\(\mathcal P\).











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