A Liouville Theorem and Radial Symmetry for dual fractional parabolic equations

TL;DR

This paper proves a Liouville theorem and radial symmetry for positive solutions of dual fractional parabolic equations, introducing novel techniques to handle the non-local operators in bounded and unbounded domains.

Contribution

It establishes the radial symmetry of solutions and a Liouville theorem for dual fractional parabolic equations using new methods for non-local operators.

Findings

Positive solutions are radially symmetric and decreasing in the unit ball.

Liouville theorem holds for the homogeneous equation in the entire space.

New techniques simplify the analysis of non-local, one-sided fractional derivatives.

Abstract

In this paper, we first study the dual fractional parabolic equation \begin{equation*} \partial^\alpha_t u(x,t)+(-\Delta)^s u(x,t) = f(u(x,t))\ \ \mbox{in}\ \ B_1(0)\times\R , \end{equation*} subject to the vanishing exterior condition. We show that for each $t\in\R$, the positive bounded solution $u(\cdot,t)$ must be radially symmetric and strictly decreasing about the origin in the unit ball in $\R^n$. To overcome the challenges caused by the dual non-locality of the operator $\partial^\alpha_t+(-\Delta)^s$, some novel techniques were introduced. Then we establish the Liouville theorem for the homogeneous equation in the whole space \begin{equation*}\label{B} \partial^\alpha_t u(x,t)+(-\Delta)^s u(x,t) = 0\ \ \mbox{in}\ \ \R^n\times\R . \end{equation*} We first prove a maximum principle in unbounded domains for anti-symmetric functions to deduce that $u(x,t)$ must be constant with respect to $x.$ Then it suffices for us to establish the Liouville theorem for the Marchaud fractional equation \begin{equation*} \partial^\alpha_t u(t) = 0\ \ \mbox{in}\ \ \R . \end{equation*} To circumvent the difficulties arising from the nonlocal and one-sided nature of the operator $\partial_t^\alpha$, we bring in some new ideas and simpler approaches. Instead of disturbing the anti-symmetric function, we employ a perturbation technique directly on the solution $u(t)$ itself. This method provides a more concise and intuitive route to establish the Liouville theorem for one-sided operators $\partial_t^\alpha$, including even more general Marchaud time derivatives.