The resolution of the Nirenberg-Treves conjecture

DOI10.4007/ANNALS.2006.163.405MaRDI QIDQ2500432zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Niels Dencker

Publication date 24 August 2006

Published in Annals of Mathematics. Second Series (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0303201

zbMATH Keywords

classical pseudodifferential operatorslocal solvability

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Pseudodifferential operators as generalizations of partial differential operators (35S05) Pseudodifferential operators (47G30)

Abstract: In this paper we give a proof of the Nirenberg-Treves conjecture: that local solvability of principal type pseudo-differential operators is equivalent to condition ($Psi$). This condition rules out certain sign changes of the imaginary part of the principal symbol along the bicharacteristics of the real part. We obtain local solvability by proving a localizable estimate of the adjoint operator with a loss of two derivatives (compared with the elliptic case). The proof involves a new metric in the Weyl (or Beals-Fefferman) calculus which makes it possible to reduce to the case when the gradient of the imaginary part is non-vanishing, so that the zeroes forms a smooth submanifold. The estimate uses a new type of weight, which measures the changes of the distance to the zeroes of the imaginary part along the bicharacteristics of the real part between the minima of the curvature of this submanifold. By using condition ($Psi$) and this weight, we can construct a multiplier giving the estimate.

Review text

This paper can be seen as the conclusion of a long series of articles, addressed to prove, or possibly disprove, the conjecture of Nirenberg-Trèves, which states the following. Let \(P= p(x,D)\) be a classical pseudodifferential operator of principal type, in the sense that \(p= 0\) implies \(d_\xi p\neq 0\), and assume condition \((\Psi)\): \(\text{Im}(ap)\) does not change sign from \(-\) to \(+\) along the oriented bicharacteristics of \(\text{Re}(ap)\), for any elliptic \(a\). Then \(P\) is locally solvable, namely the equation \(Pu= v\) has a local distribution solution \(u\) for every \(v\in C^\infty\). When \(P\) is a linear partial differential operator, condition \((\Psi)\) simplifies and is necessary and sufficient for the local solvability, see for example \textit{L. Hörmander} [The analysis of linear partial differential operators, I--IV, Springer Verlag, New York, 1983-85], where the reader finds also the proof of the necessity of \((\Psi)\) for pseudo-differential operators. A negative result was obtained by \textit{N. Lerner} [Ann. Math. 128, 243--258 (1988; Zbl 0682.35112)], giving examples of pseudodifferential operators satisfying \((\Psi)\), which are not locally solvable with loss of 1 derivative in Sobolev estimates. In the present paper, the author proves that local solvability is always granted, under \((\Psi)\), if a loss of 2 derivatives is allowed.

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