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Consider the solutions $u_1,u_2$ of the Sturm Liouville equations $$ \begin{array}{ll} (p_1(x)u_1^\prime(x))^\prime+u_1(x)=f(x) && x\in (a,b)\\ u_1(x)=g(x) && x\in \{a,b\} \\ \end{array}$$

and

$$\begin{array}{ll} (p_2(x)u_2^\prime(x))^\prime+u_2(x)=f(x) && x\in (a,b)\\ u_2(x)=g(x) && x\in \{a,b\} \\ \end{array}$$

for $p_1,p_2\in C^1[a,b],f\in C[a,b], p_1(x),p_2(x)\geq p_0>0.$ Show that there exists $C=C(p_0,f,g,(a,b))>0$ so that

$$\int_a^b |u_1(x)-u_2(x)|^2+|u^\prime_1(x)-u^\prime_2(x)|^2dx\leq C\|p_1-p_2\|^2_\infty$$ Hint: You can use (without a prove) that the solution $u$ of

$$ \begin{array}{ll} (p(x)u^\prime(x))^\prime+u(x)=0 && x\in (a,b)\\ u(x)=g(x) && x\in \{a,b\} \\ \end{array}$$

satisfies

$$\int_a^b |u(x)|^2+|u^\prime(x)|^2dx\leq C(g,p,(a,b))$$

I looked at $v(x)=u_1(x)-u_2(x)$ and tried to find a Sturm Liouville equation which is satisfied by $v$ to use the hint but this does not lead to the goal.

Robert
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1 Answers1

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Disclaimer: This answer will probably not satisfy your problem at 100%, since I'm not actually using every data you gave to come to the result (see last paragraph). Yet, I'm posting this since your question got no reaction for 7 days, this can help you getting to the right and thorough reasonment to solve your problem. If I misunderstood something, please tell me in the comments.


First, I want to be sure I understood your problem accurately:

\begin{array}{ll} (p_1(x)u_1^\prime(x))^\prime+u_1(x)=f(x) && x\in (a,b)\\ u_1(x)=g(x) && x\in \{a,b\} \\ \end{array}

This isn't the general for of a Sturm-Liouville problem, which is:

$$(p(x)u'(x))'+q(x)u(x)=-\lambda r(x)y(x)$$

I'm not sure to understand what you mean by "$x \in (a, b)$ " and "$x\in \{a, b\}$". As far as I know, intervals are usually noted $[a, b]$, and $x\in \{a, b\}$ means that $x=a$ or $x=b$.

Then, you didn't indicate the nature of your variables. I imagine you are only working in $\mathbb R$ ? I'll assume this for what follows.


Let's fix $w_2(x) := -u_2(x)$. Using the triangle inequality:

$$|u_1+w_2|^2 \le |u_1|^2 + |w_2|^2$$

So, as your norms are positive by definition:

$$\int_a^b |u_1(x)+w_2(x)|^2+|u^\prime_1(x)+w^\prime_2(x)|^2dx \le \int_a^b |u_1|^2 + |w_2|^2+|u'_1|^2 + |w'_2|^2dx$$ $$= \int_a^b |u_1|^2 + |u'_1|^2dx +\int_a^b|w_2|^2 + |w'_2|^2dx$$

By definition of $|x|$, $|-x| = |x|$, so:

$$= \int_a^b |u_1|^2 + |u'_1|^2dx +\int_a^b|u_2|^2 + |u'_2|^2dx \le C_1 + C_2$$

Thus:

$$\int_a^b |u_1(x)-u_2(x)|^2+|u^\prime_1(x)-u^\prime_2(x)|^2dx \le C_1 + C_2 =: C_3$$

And you can easily find a value of $C$ such as $C_3 = C||p_1 - p_2||_\infty^2$.


I didn'y use:

  • The fact that $u_1, u_2$ are solutions of a Sturm-Liouville problem
  • The infinite norm $||\ ||_\infty$

Update: The comments indicated that $(a, b)$ was the open interval $]a, b[$. Moreover, we need to find $\tilde C_3$ such as $C_3(p) = \tilde C_3(p_0)$, since the constant given by the hint actually depends on $p(x)$. In order to do that, we may use the information I hadn't taken into account.

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    Yeah, but your constant $C_3$ depends on $p_1, p_2$. It should be independent on that to be a meaningful bound. – Giuseppe Negro Jan 21 '23 at 14:52
  • Good point, we would need to turn $C_3(p)$ into $\tilde C_3(p_0)$. –  Jan 21 '23 at 15:08
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    $x\in {a,b}$ means $x=a$ or $x=b$, it is the boundary condition. (I first got confused by the notation too.) – Pavel Kocourek Jan 21 '23 at 22:17
  • @PavelKocourek and what about its $(a, b)$ ? Is it an $[a, b]$ ? –  Jan 21 '23 at 22:26
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    @AlbertSchrödinberg $(a,b)$ is the open interval between $a$ and $b$...the derivatives of $u$ are formally defined only on the interior of the domain of $u$. – Pavel Kocourek Jan 21 '23 at 22:29