Error estimates and convergence rates for the stochastic homogenization of Hamilton-Jacobi equations

We present exponential error estimates and demonstrate an algebraic convergence rate for the homogenization of level-set convex Hamilton-Jacobi equations in i.i.d. random environments, the first quantitative homogenization results for these equations in the stochastic setting. By taking advantage of a connection between the metric approach to homogenization and the theory of first-passage percolation, we obtain estimates on the fluctuations of the solutions to the approximate cell problem in the ballistic regime (away from flat spot of the effective Hamiltonian). In the sub-ballistic regime (on the flat spot), we show that the fluctuations are governed by an entirely different mechanism and the homogenization may proceed, without further assumptions, at an arbitrarily slow rate. We identify a necessary and sufficient condition on the law of the Hamiltonian for an algebraic rate of convergence to hold in the sub-ballistic regime and show, under this hypothesis, that the two rates may be merged to yield comprehensive error estimates and an algebraic rate of convergence for homogenization. Our methods are novel and quite different from the techniques employed in the periodic setting, although we benefit from previous works in both first-passage percolation and homogenization. The link between the rate of homogenization and the flat spot of the effective Hamiltonian, which is related to the nonexistence of correctors, is a purely random phenomenon observed here for the first time.Comment: 57 pages. Revised version. To appear in J. Amer. Math. So

Stochastic homogenization of interfaces moving with changing sign velocity

We are interested in the averaged behavior of interfaces moving in stationary ergodic environments, with oscillatory normal velocity which changes sign. This problem can be reformulated, using level sets, as the homogenization of a Hamilton-Jacobi equation with a positively homogeneous non-coercive Hamiltonian. The periodic setting was earlier studied by Cardaliaguet, Lions and Souganidis (2009). Here we concentrate in the random media and show that the solutions of the oscillatory Hamilton-Jacobi equation converge in $L^\infty$-weak $*$ to a linear combination of the initial datum and the solutions of several initial value problems with deterministic effective Hamiltonian(s), determined by the properties of the random media

Stochastic homogenization of Hamilton-Jacobi and degenerate Bellman equations in unbounded environments

We consider the homogenization of Hamilton-Jacobi equations and degenerate Bellman equations in stationary, ergodic, unbounded environments. We prove that, as the microscopic scale tends to zero, the equation averages to a deterministic Hamilton-Jacobi equation and study some properties of the effective Hamiltonian. We discover a connection between the effective Hamiltonian and an eikonal-type equation in exterior domains. In particular, we obtain a new formula for the effective Hamiltonian. To prove the results we introduce a new strategy to obtain almost sure homogenization, completing a program proposed by Lions and Souganidis that previously yielded homogenization in probability. The class of problems we study is strongly motivated by Sznitman's study of the quenched large deviations of Brownian motion interacting with a Poissonian potential, but applies to a general class of problems which are not amenable to probabilistic tools.Comment: 51 pages, 2 figures. We have added material and made some corrections to our previous versio

Homogenization on arbitrary manifolds

We describe a setting for homogenization of convex hamiltonians on abelian covers of any compact manifold. In this context we also provide a simple variational proof of standard homogenization results.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figur