On possible isolated blow-up phenomena of the 3D-Navier-Stokes equation and a regularity criterion in terms of supercritical function space condition and smoothness condition along the streamlines

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new regularity criterion for 3D Navier-Stokes solutions based on supercritical function spaces and streamline conditions, and constructs a divergence-free vector field illustrating potential blow-up phenomena.

Contribution

It presents a novel regularity criterion involving supercritical spaces and streamline growth, and constructs a flow with increasing streamline twisting demonstrating blow-up scenarios.

Findings

New regularity criterion improves previous results

Constructed flow shows blow-up potential with finite energy

Demonstrates necessity to extend existing regularity conditions

Abstract

The first goal of our paper is to give a new type of regularity criterion for solutions $u$ to Navier-Stokes equation in terms of some supercritical function space condition $u \in L^{\infty}(L^{\alpha ,*})$ (with $\frac{3}{4}(17^{\frac{1}{2}} -1)< \alpha < 3 $) and some exponential control on the growth rate of $\dv (\frac{u}{|u|})$ along the streamlines of u. This regularity criterion greatly improves the previous one in \cite{smoothnesscriteria}. The proof leading to the regularity criterion of our paper basically follows the one in \cite{smoothnesscriteria}. However, we also point out that totally new idea which involves the use of the new supercritical function space condition is necessary for the success of our new regularity criterion in this paper. The second goal of our paper is to construct a divergence free vector field $u$ within a flow-invariant tubular region with increasing twisting of streamlines towards one end of a bundle of streamlines. The increasing twisting of streamlines is controlled in such a way that the associated quantities $\|u\|_{L^{\alpha}}$ and $\|\dv(\frac{u}{|u|})\|_{L^{6}}$ blow up while preserving the finite energy property $u\in L^{2}$ at the same time. The purpose of such a construction is to demonstrate the necessity to go beyond the scope covered by some previous regularity criteria such as \cite{Vasseur2} or \cite{Esca}.