Non-uniqueness of smooth solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations on torus $\TTT^2$
Abstract
The local well-posedness theory for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in has attracted considerable attention over the past two decades. In a recent breakthrough, Coiculescu and Palasek (Invent. Math., 2025) settled the three-dimensional case by demonstrating the existence of two distinct global solutions, both smooth for , evolving from a common initial datum in . However, the two-dimensional case remains open. In this paper, we solve the two-dimensional problem. Unlike its three-dimensional counterpart, the two-dimensional setting presents additional difficulties stemming from the geometric intersections of two-dimensional Mikado flows. To overcome these difficulties, we develop a heat-dominated Fourier mode flow built upon steady two-dimensional Euler flows, and present the proof using a new iterative scheme.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2602.19074,
title = {Non-uniqueness of smooth solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations on torus $\TTT^2$},
author = {Changxing Miao and Yao Nie and Weikui Ye},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.19074},
year = {2026}
}