Approximations of pseudo-differential flows

Given a classical symbol $M$ of order zero, and associated semiclassical operators ${\rm op}_\varepsilon(M),$ we prove that the flow of ${\rm op}_\varepsilon(M)$ is well approximated, in time $O(|\ln \varepsilon|),$ by a pseudo-differential operator, the symbol of which is the flow $\exp(t M)$ of the symbol $M.$ A similar result holds for non-autonomous equations, associated with time-dependent families of symbols $M(t).$ This result was already used, by the author and co-authors, to give a stability criterion for high-frequency WKB approximations, and to prove a strong Lax-Mizohata theorem. We give here two further applications: sharp semigroup bounds, implying nonlinear instability under the assumption of spectral instability at the symbolic level, and a new proof of sharp G\r{a}rding inequalities.Comment: Final version, to appear in Indiana Univ. Math.

Nash--Moser iteration and singular perturbations

We present a simple and easy-to-use Nash--Moser iteration theorem tailored for singular perturbation problems admitting a formal asymptotic expansion or other family of approximate solutions depending on a parameter \eps\to 0. The novel feature is to allow loss of powers of \eps as well as the usual loss of derivatives in the solution operator for the associated linearized problem. We indicate the utility of this theorem by describing sample applications to (i) systems of quasilinear Schr\"odinger equations, and (ii) existence of small-amplitude profiles of quasilinear relaxation systems.Comment: Final version; general presentation completely revised; new sample application to systems of quasilinear Schr\"odinger equation

A stability criterion for high-frequency oscillations

We show that a simple Levi compatibility condition determines stability of WKB solutions to semilinear hyperbolic initial-value problems issued from highly-oscillating initial data with large amplitudes. The compatibility condition involves the hyperbolic operator, the fundamental phase associated with the initial oscillation, and the semilinear source term; it states roughly that hyperbolicity is preserved around resonances. If the compatibility condition is satisfied, the solutions are defined over time intervals independent of the wavelength, and the associated WKB solutions are stable under a large class of initial perturbations. If the compatibility condition is not satisfied, resonances are exponentially amplified, and arbitrarily small initial perturbations can destabilize the WKB solutions in small time. The amplification mechanism is based on the observation that in frequency space, resonances correspond to points of weak hyperbolicity. At such points, the behavior of the system depends on the lower order terms through the compatibility condition. The analysis relies, in the unstable case, on a short-time Duhamel representation formula for solutions of zeroth-order pseudo-differential equations. Our examples include coupled Klein-Gordon systems, and systems describing Raman and Brillouin instabilities.Comment: Final version, to appear in M\'em. Soc. Math. F

On nonlinear stabilization of linearly unstable maps

We examine the phenomenon of nonlinear stabilization, exhibiting a variety of related examples and counterexamples. For G\^ateaux differentiable maps, we discuss a mechanism of nonlinear stabilization, in finite and infinite dimensions, which applies in particular to hyperbolic partial differential equations, and, for Fr\'echet differentiable maps with linearized operators that are normal, we give a sharp criterion for nonlinear exponential instability at the linear rate. These results highlight the fundamental open question whether Fr\'echet differentiability is sufficient for linear exponential instability to imply nonlinear exponential instability, at possibly slower rate.Comment: New section 1.5 and several references added. 20 pages, no figur

Pointwise Green function bounds and stability of combustion waves

Generalizing similar results for viscous shock and relaxation waves, we establish sharp pointwise Green function bounds and linearized and nonlinear stability for traveling wave solutions of an abstract viscous combustion model including both Majda's model and the full reacting compressible Navier--Stokes equations with artificial viscosity with general multi-species reaction and reaction-dependent equation of state, % under the necessary conditions of strong spectral stability, i.e., stable point spectrum of the linearized operator about the wave, transversality of the profile as a connection in the traveling-wave ODE, and hyperbolic stability of the associated Chapman--Jouguet (square-wave) approximation. Notably, our results apply to combustion waves of any type: weak or strong, detonations or deflagrations, reducing the study of stability to verification of a readily numerically checkable Evans function condition. Together with spectral results of Lyng and Zumbrun, this gives immediately stability of small-amplitude strong detonations in the small heat-release (i.e., fluid-dynamical) limit, simplifying and greatly extending previous results obtained by energy methods by Liu--Ying and Tesei--Tan for Majda's model and the reactive Navier--Stokes equations, respectively