Weak Singularity of Navier-Stokes Equations Based on Energy Estimation in Sobolev Space

TL;DR

This paper investigates the weak singularity in steady incompressible Navier-Stokes flows, showing that under certain energy gradient conditions, solutions lose regularity and degenerate into Euler equations with discontinuities.

Contribution

It introduces a new energy gradient condition leading to weak singularities in Navier-Stokes solutions, connecting energy gradient theory with solution regularity analysis in Sobolev spaces.

Findings

Velocity field loses H^1-regularity

Navier-Stokes degenerate into Euler equations

Identifies conditions for weak singularity formation

Abstract

Based on Dou Huashu's energy gradient theory, this paper focuses on the weak singularity of the incompressible Navier-Stokes (NS) equations in steady, fully developed flows. When the gradient of total mechanical energy is perpendicular to the streamline (i.e., $ u_j \frac{\partial E}{\partial x_j} = 0 $), substituting this critical condition into the NS equations with no-slip boundary conditions leads to the viscous term $ \nu \to 0 $. To rigorously analyze the regularity of the solution, Sobolev space $ H_0^1(\Omega) $ is introduced for energy estimation. The results show that the velocity field loses $ H^1 $-regularity, and the NS equations degenerate into Euler equations, which admit discontinuous weak solutions. Thus, the position where the mechanical energy gradient is perpendicular to the streamline becomes a weak singularity of the NS equations.