English

Global existence of critical nonlinear wave equation with time dependent variable coefficients

Analysis of PDEs 2010-03-10 v1

Abstract

In this paper, we establish global existence of smooth solutions for the Cauchy problem of the critical nonlinear wave equation with time dependent variable coefficients in three space dimensions {equation}\partial_{tt}\phi-\partial_{x_i}\big(g^{ij}(t,x)\partial_{x_j}\phi\big)+\phi^5=0, mathbb{R}_t \times \mathbb{R}_x^3,{equation} where (gij(t,x))\big(g_{ij}(t,x)\big) is a regular function valued in the spacetime of 3×33\times3 positive definite matrix and (gij(t,x))\big(g^{ij}(t,x)\big) its inverse matrix. Here and in the sequence, a repeated sum on an index in lower and upper position is never indicated. In the constant coefficients case, the result of global existence is due to Grillakis \cite{Grillakis1}; and in the time-independent variable coefficients case, the result of global existence and regularity is due to Ibrahim and Majdoub \cite{Ibrahim}. The key point of our proofs is to show that the energy cannot concentrate at any point. For that purpose, following Christodoulou and Klainerman \cite{Chris}, we use a null frame associated to an optical function to construct a geometric multiplier similar to the well-known Morawetz multiplier. Then we use comparison theorem originated from Riemannian Geometry to estimate the error terms. Finally, using Strichartz inequality due to \cite{Smith} as Ibrahim and Majdoub \cite{Ibrahim}, we obtain global existence.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1003.1818,
  title  = {Global existence of critical nonlinear wave equation with time dependent variable coefficients},
  author = {Yi Zhou and Ning-An Lai},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1003.1818},
  year   = {2010}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-21T14:55:25.177Z