Global weak Besov solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations and applications

We introduce a notion of global weak solution to the Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions with initial values in the critical homogeneous Besov spaces $\dot{B}^{-1+\frac{3}{p}}_{p,\infty}$, $p > 3$. These solutions satisfy a certain stability property with respect to the weak-$\ast$ convergence of initial conditions. To illustrate this property, we provide applications to blow-up criteria, minimal blow-up initial data, and forward self-similar solutions. Our proof relies on a new splitting result in homogeneous Besov spaces that may be of independent interest.