Divergent expansion, Borel summability and three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation

We describe how the Borel summability of a divergent asymptotic expansion can be expanded and applied to nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). While Borel summation does not apply for non-analytic initial data, the present approach generates an integral equation (IE) applicable to much more general data. We apply these concepts to the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes (NS) system and show how the IE approach can give rise to local existence proofs. In this approach, the global existence problem in three-dimensional NS systems, for specific initial condition and viscosity, becomes a problem of asymptotics in the variable p (dual to 1/t or some positive power of 1/t). Furthermore, the errors in numerical computations in the associated IE can be controlled rigorously, which is very important for nonlinear PDEs such as NS when solutions are not known to exist globally. Moreover, computation of the solution of the IE over an interval [0,p0] provides sharper control of its p →∞ behaviour. Preliminary numerical computations give encouraging results. © 2008 The Royal Society.