Carleman Estimates for Some Non-Smooth Anisotropic Media

International audienceLet B be a n × n block diagonal matrix in which the first block C τ is an hermitian matrix of order (n − 1) and the second block c is a positive function. Both are piecewise smooth in Ω, a bounded domain of R n. If S denotes the set where discontinuities of C τ and c can occur, we suppose that Ω is stratified in a neighborhood of S in the sense that locally it takes the form Ω × (−δ, δ) with Ω ⊂ R n−1 , δ > 0 and S = Ω × {0}. We prove a Carleman estimate for the elliptic operator A = −∇ · (B∇) with an arbitrary observation region. This Carleman estimate is obtained through the introduction of a suitable mesh of the neighborhood of S and an associated approximation of c involving the Carleman large parameters

Carleman estimates for the one-dimensional heat equation with a discontinuous coefficient and applications

International audienceWe study the observability and some of its consequences for the one-dimensional heat equation with a discontinuous coefficient (piecewise \Con^1). The observability, for a {\em linear} equation, is obtained by a Carleman-type estimate. This kind of observability inequality yields results of controllability to the trajectories for {\em semilinear} equations. It also yields a stability result for the inverse problem of the identification of the diffusion coefficient

Carleman estimates for the one-dimensional heat equation with a discontinuous coefficient and applications to controllability and an inverse problem

International audienceWe study the observability and some of its consequences (controllability, identification of diffusion coefficients) for one-dimensional heat equations with discontinuous coefficients (piecewise \Con^1). The observability, for a linear equation, is obtained by a Carleman-type estimate. This kind of observability inequality yields controllability results for a semi-linear equation as well as a stability result for the identification of the diffusion coefficient

Concentration and non-concentration of eigenfunctions of second-order elliptic operators in layered media

This work is concerned with operators of the type A = --c$\Delta$ acting in domains $\Omega$ := $\Omega$ ' x (0, H) $\subseteq$ R^d x R ^+. The diffusion coefficient c > 0 depends on one coordinate y $\in$ (0, H) and is bounded but may be discontinuous. This corresponds to the physical model of ''layered media'', appearing in acoustics, elasticity, optical fibers... Dirichlet boundary conditions are assumed. In general, for each $\epsilon$ > 0, the set of eigenfunctions is divided into a disjoint union of three subsets : Fng (non-guided), Fg (guided) and Fres (residual). The residual set shrinks as $\epsilon$ $\rightarrow$ 0. The customary physical terminology of guided/non-guided is often replaced in the mathematical literature by concentrating/non-concentrating solutions, respectively. For guided waves, the assumption of ''layered media'' enables us to obtain rigorous estimates of their exponential decay away from concentration zones. The case of non-guided waves has attracted less attention in the literature. While it is not so closely connected to physical models, it leads to some very interesting questions concerning oscillatory solutions and their asymptotic properties. Classical asymptotic methods are available for c(y) $\in$ C 2 but a lesser degree of regularity excludes such methods. The associated eigenfunctions (in Fng) are oscillatory. However, this fact by itself does not exclude the possibility of ''flattening out'' of the solution between two consecutive zeros, leading to concentration in the complementary segment. Here we show it cannot happen when c(y) is of bounded variation, by proving a ''minimal amplitude hypothesis''. However the validity of such results when c(y) is not of bounded variation (even if it is continuous) remains an open problem

On the controllability of linear parabolic equations with an arbitrary control location for stratified media

We prove a null controllability result with an arbitrary control location in dimension greater than or equal to two for a class of linear parabolic operators with non-smooth coefficients. The coefficients are assumed to be smooth in all but one directions

On the guided states of 3D biperiodic Schrödinger operators

International audienceWe consider the Laplacian operator H_0 perturbed by a non-positive potential $V$, which is periodic in two directions, and decays in the remaining one. We are interested in the characterization and decay properties of the guided states, defined as the eigenfunctions of the reduced operators in the Bloch-Floquet-Gelfand transform of H_0+V in the periodic variables. If V is sufficiently small and decreases fast enough in the infinite direction, we prove that, generically, these guided states are characterized by quasi-momenta belonging to some one-dimensional compact real analytic submanifold of the Brillouin zone. Moreover they decay faster than any polynomial function in the infinite direction