Asymptotic behavior of solutions for the nonlinear Hartree equation involving the fractional Laplacian
Pith reviewed 2026-05-25 03:20 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Solutions to the slightly subcritical fractional Hartree equation blow up at exactly one interior point whose location is characterized by the Green's function as epsilon approaches zero.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
As epsilon approaches zero, every family of positive solutions to the reduced system blows up at precisely one point x0 inside Omega. The point x0 is characterized as a critical point of a functional built from the Green's function of the fractional Laplacian with zero exterior condition. The rescaled profile around x0 converges to the standard bubble for the limiting critical equation, and the blow-up rate is expressed explicitly in terms of epsilon and the value of the Green's function at x0.
What carries the argument
Reduction of the perturbed Hartree equation to the subcritical fractional system A_s u = u^{2_s^sharp-2-epsilon} v, A_s v = u^{2_s^sharp-1-epsilon}, followed by moving-planes arguments that produce uniform L1 bounds away from the boundary and uniform L^infty bounds near the boundary.
If this is right
- Blow-up occurs only at interior points and never on the boundary.
- The exact blow-up rate is determined by the Green's function evaluated at the concentration point.
- The same single-point concentration holds for the fractional Brezis-Nirenberg problem with critical Hartree nonlinearity.
- The location of the blow-up point maximizes a functional involving the regular part of the Green's function.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- The concentration mechanism appears robust enough to apply to other nonlocal Hartree-type nonlinearities that admit a similar system reduction.
- The uniform bounds near the boundary suggest that boundary blow-up is prevented by the exterior Dirichlet condition even for fractional operators.
Load-bearing premise
The moving planes method together with integral estimates on the convolution term produces uniform L1 bounds away from the boundary and uniform L^infty bounds near the boundary.
What would settle it
A sequence of solutions that either remains bounded in L^infty or develops blow-up at two or more distinct points inside Omega as epsilon tends to zero would falsify the single-point concentration claim.
read the original abstract
In this paper, we investigate the nonlocal problem \begin{equation*}\left\lbrace \begin{aligned} &A_{s} u=(|x|^{-(n-2s)}\ast u^{2_{s}^{\sharp}-1-\epsilon})u^{2_{s}^{\sharp}-2-\epsilon} \quad\quad\hspace{3.5mm} \mbox{in}\hspace{2mm}\Omega,\\ &u>0\quad\quad \quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\hspace{2mm}\mbox{in}\hspace{2mm}\Omega,\\ &u=0\quad \quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\hspace{2mm}\mbox{on}\hspace{2mm}\mathbb{R}^n\setminus\Omega, \end{aligned} \right.\end{equation*} where $\Omega$ is a smooth bounded domain in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $0<s<1$, $n\in(2s,\min\{6s,n+2s\})$, $\epsilon>0$ small, $2_{s}^{\sharp}-1=(n+2s)/(n-2s)$ and $A_{s}$ stands for the fractional Laplace operator $(-\Delta)^{s}$ in $\Omega$ with outside zero Dirichlet boundary condition. The above problem is reduced to the subcritical fractional system $$ A_{s}u=u^{2_{s}^{\sharp}-2-\epsilon}v,\hspace{2mm}A_{s}v=u^{2_{s}^{\sharp}-1-\epsilon},\hspace{2mm}u,v>0\hspace{2mm}\mbox{in}\hspace{2mm}\Omega\hspace{2mm}\mbox{and}\hspace{2mm}u=(-\Delta)^sv=0\hspace{2mm}\mbox{on}\hspace{2mm}\mathbb{R}^n\setminus\Omega.$$ For a general domain $\Omega$ or domains with convexity, we first prove a uniform $L^1$ bound away from the boundary and a uniform $L^{\infty}$ bound near the boundary for positive solutions to the general fractional Hartree-type PDEs by applying the moving planes method and integral estimates for the convolution term.Among these results, we study the asymptotic behavior of solutions as $\epsilon\rightarrow0$.These solutions are shown to blow-up at exactly one point $x_0$ and location of this point is characterized. In addition, the shape and exact rates for blowing-up are studied.Finally,we also establish the corresponding main results for solutions of the fractional Brezis-Nirenberg problem involving critical Hartree-type nonlinearity.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The paper studies the asymptotic behavior as ε→0 of positive solutions to the fractional Hartree equation A_s u = (|x|^{-(n-2s)} * u^{2_s^♯-1-ε}) u^{2_s^♯-2-ε} in a smooth bounded domain Ω ⊂ R^n (with exterior Dirichlet condition), reducing it to the subcritical system A_s u = u^{2_s^♯-2-ε} v, A_s v = u^{2_s^♯-1-ε}. For general Ω (or convex domains), it claims uniform L^1 bounds away from ∂Ω and L^∞ bounds near ∂Ω via the moving-planes method plus convolution integral estimates; it then proves single-point blow-up at a characterized point x_0 with explicit shape and rates. Analogous results are stated for the fractional Brezis-Nirenberg problem with critical Hartree nonlinearity.
Significance. If the claimed uniform bounds hold, the work supplies the first detailed single-point blow-up analysis for this class of nonlocal fractional Hartree systems, including location characterization and exact rates; this would extend classical concentration results to a setting with both fractional diffusion and nonlocal convolution, providing a template for related nonlocal problems.
major comments (1)
- [Abstract / uniform-bounds section] Abstract (and the section establishing the uniform bounds): the assertion that moving planes plus integral estimates for the convolution term yield a uniform L^1 bound away from ∂Ω for the coupled system on a general (possibly non-convex) bounded Ω is load-bearing for the subsequent single-point blow-up claim. The standard moving-planes comparison for the difference u - u_λ requires that the linear inequality satisfied by the difference preserves sign under the nonlocal kernel; for non-convex caps this is sensitive to the interaction between the exterior Dirichlet condition and the support of the convolution term, and no explicit remainder estimate or maximum-principle verification for the system is indicated to close the gap.
minor comments (2)
- [Abstract] The abstract states the result holds 'for a general domain Ω or domains with convexity'; this phrasing is ambiguous and should be clarified to indicate whether the general-domain case is fully proved or requires additional geometric assumptions.
- [Introduction / preliminaries] Notation for the critical exponent 2_s^♯ and the range n ∈ (2s, min{6s, n+2s}) should be cross-checked against the system reduction to ensure consistency with the subcritical regime.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for the detailed reading and for identifying a point that requires clarification in the justification of the uniform bounds. We address the concern directly below and will revise the manuscript to strengthen the presentation of the moving-planes argument for the coupled system.
read point-by-point responses
-
Referee: [Abstract / uniform-bounds section] Abstract (and the section establishing the uniform bounds): the assertion that moving planes plus integral estimates for the convolution term yield a uniform L^1 bound away from ∂Ω for the coupled system on a general (possibly non-convex) bounded Ω is load-bearing for the subsequent single-point blow-up claim. The standard moving-planes comparison for the difference u - u_λ requires that the linear inequality satisfied by the difference preserves sign under the nonlocal kernel; for non-convex caps this is sensitive to the interaction between the exterior Dirichlet condition and the support of the convolution term, and no explicit remainder estimate or maximum-principle verification for the system is indicated to close the gap.
Authors: We agree that the moving-planes method for the fractional system must be justified carefully when the domain is non-convex, because the exterior Dirichlet condition and the nonlocal kernel can affect sign preservation in reflected caps. In the current manuscript the argument proceeds by applying the standard moving-planes comparison to the difference of the pair (u,v) and controlling the resulting integral terms via positivity of the convolution kernel together with the subcritical exponents. However, the manuscript does not supply an explicit remainder estimate or a self-contained verification of the maximum principle for the linearized nonlocal system. We will therefore add a dedicated subsection (or short appendix) that (i) records the precise linear inequality satisfied by the difference, (ii) verifies that the nonlocal operator preserves the sign under the exterior condition for any smooth bounded Ω, and (iii) derives the necessary integral remainder bounds that close the comparison. With these additions the uniform L¹ bound away from the boundary will be rigorously established for general smooth domains, as claimed. The subsequent single-point blow-up analysis remains unchanged. revision: yes
Circularity Check
No significant circularity; derivation uses standard external techniques
full rationale
The paper reduces the Hartree problem to a subcritical system and obtains the key uniform L1/L∞ bounds by applying the moving planes method together with convolution integral estimates. These steps invoke established analytical tools from the nonlocal PDE literature rather than any self-definitional loop, fitted-input prediction, or load-bearing self-citation chain internal to the present work. The subsequent single-point blow-up characterization and rate analysis are built on those bounds without reducing any claimed prediction to a tautological renaming or ansatz smuggled via prior author work. The derivation chain therefore remains self-contained against external benchmarks.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (1)
- standard math Standard properties of the fractional Laplacian and applicability of the moving planes method in this setting
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
Applebaum,L´ evy processes-from probability to finance and quantum groups, Notices Amer
D. Applebaum,L´ evy processes-from probability to finance and quantum groups, Notices Amer. Math. Soc.,51(2004), 1336–1347. 2
work page 2004
-
[2]
F. Atkinson and L. Peletier,Emder-Fowler equations involving critical exponents, Nonlinear Anal. TMA.,10(1986), 755–776. 2
work page 1986
- [3]
-
[4]
C. Br¨ andle, E. Colorado, A. de Pablo, and U. S´ anchez,A concave-convex elliptic problem involving the fractional Laplacian, Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh Sect. A,143(2013), no. 1, 39–71. 3, 5
work page 2013
-
[5]
H. Brezis and L. A. Peletier,Asymptotics for elliptic equation involving critical growth, in: Partial Differential Equations and the Calculus of Variations, vol. I, Birkh¨ auser, Boston, MA, 1989, PP. 149–192. 2
work page 1989
-
[6]
X. Cabr´ e, Y. Sire,Nonlinear equations for fractional Laplacians, I: regularity, maximum principles, and Hamiltonian estimates, Ann. Inst. H. Poincar´ e Anal. Non Lin´ eaire,31(2014) 23–53. 3, 5, 14
work page 2014
-
[7]
X. Cabr´ e, Y. Sire,Nonlinear equations for fractional Laplacians II: Existence, uniqueness, and qualitative properties of solutions, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc.,367(2015), no. 2, 911–941. 3
work page 2015
-
[8]
X. Cabr´ e, and J. Tan,Positive solutions of nonlinear problems involving the square root of the Laplacian, Adv. Math.224 (2010) 2052–2093. 3, 5
work page 2010
-
[9]
L. Caffarelli and L. Silvestre,An extension problem related to the fractional Laplacian, Comm. Partial Differential Equations, 32(2007), 1245–1260. 3, 5
work page 2007
-
[10]
A. Cannone, S. Cingolani, M. Yang and S. Zhao, Qualitative properties of single blow-up solutions for nonlinear Hartree equation with slightly subcritical exponent, to appear in Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations, arXiv:2512.14401[math. AP]. 6
-
[11]
A. Capella, J. D´ avila, L. Dupaigne, and Y. Sire,Regularity of radial extremal solutions for some non-local semilinear equations, Comm. Partial Differential Equations,36(2011) 1353–1384. 5, 33
work page 2011
-
[12]
W. Chen, C. Li, and B. Ou,Classification of solutions for an integral equation, Commun. Pure Appl. Math.,59(2006), 330-343. 3
work page 2006
-
[13]
W. Chen and Z. Wang,Blowing-up solutions for a slightly subcritical Choquard equationCalc. Var. Partial Differential Equations, (2024) 63: 235. 6
work page 2024
-
[14]
W. Chen and Z. Wang,Multiple blowing-up solutions for the Choquard type Brezis-Nirenberg problem in dimension three, Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations, (2026) 65:71. 6
work page 2026
-
[15]
Woocheol Choi, On strongly indefinite systems involving the fractional Laplacian, Nonlinear Analysis,120(2015) 127–153. 14
work page 2015
-
[16]
W. Choi, S. Kim, and K.-A. Lee,Asymptotic behavior of solutions for nonlinear elliptic problems with the fractional Laplacian, J. Funct. Anal.,266, 6531–6598 (2014). 2, 17, 22, 24, 29, 30
work page 2014
-
[17]
W. Choi and S. Kim,Asymptotic behavior of least energy solutions to the Lane-Emden system near the critical hyperbola, J. Math. Pures Appl.,132(2019), 398–456. 2
work page 2019
-
[18]
W. Choi and S. Kim,Minimal energy solutions to the fractional Lane-Emden system: existence and singularity formation, Rev. Mat. Iberoam,35(2019), no. 3, 731–766. 2
work page 2019
-
[19]
S. Cingolani, M. Gallo, and K, Tanaka,Infinitely many free or prescribed mass solutions for fractional Hartree equations and Pohozaev identities, Adv. Nonlinear Stud.24(2024), no. 2, 303–334. 6
work page 2024
-
[20]
S. Cingolani, M. Yang, and S. Zhao, Asymptotic behavior of least energy solutions to the nonlinear Hartree equation near critical exponent, to appear in Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa Cl. Sci.DOI:10.2422/2036-2145.202506_001. 6, 20, 22
-
[21]
W. Dai, J. Huang, Y. Qin, B. Wang, and Y. Fang,Regularity and classification of solutions to static Hartree equations involving fractional Laplacians, Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst.,39(2019), 1389-1403. 27
work page 2019
-
[22]
W. Dai, Z. Liu, and G. Qin,Classification of nonnegative solutions to static Schrodinger-Hartree-Maxwell type equations, SIAM J. Math. Anal.,53(2021), no. 2, 1379–1410. 3
work page 2021
-
[23]
P. d’Avenia, G. Siciliano and M. Squassina,On fractional Choquard equations, Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci. 25, 1447–1476 (2015). 6
work page 2015
-
[24]
J. D´ avila, L. L´ opez R´ ıos, and Y. Sire,Bubbling solutions for nonlocal elliptic problems, Rev. Mat. Iberoam.33(2017), no. 2, 509–546. 3
work page 2017
-
[25]
S. Deng and W. Luo,Concentrated solutions for a fractional Choquard-type Brezis-Nirenberg problem, Bulletin of Mathematical Sciences, (2025) 2550030. 6, 7
work page 2025
-
[26]
S. Deng and W. Luo,Existence of solutions for a slightly subcritical fractional Choquard problem, Nonlinear Differ. Equ. Appl. (2025) 32:111. 5
work page 2025
- [27]
-
[28]
E.B. Fabes, C.E. Kenig, and R.P. Serapioni,The local regularity of solutions of degenerate elliptic equations, Comm. Partial Differential Equations,7(1982) 77–116. 28 NONLINEAR ELLIPTIC PROBLEMS WITH THE FRACTIONAL LAPLACIAN 37
work page 1982
- [29]
-
[30]
M. Ghimenti, X, Huang, and A, Pistoia,Bubble solution for the critical Hartree equation in a pierced domain, Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst.,45(2025), 2180–2214. 6, 7
work page 2025
-
[31]
M. Ghimenti, M. Liu and Z. Tang,Multiple solutions for a fractional Choquard problem with slightly subcritical exponents on bounded domains, NoDEA Nonlinear Differential Equations Appl.,30, 27 (2023). 6
work page 2023
-
[32]
M. Ghimenti and D, Pagliardini,Multiple positive solutions for a slightly subcritical Choquard problem on bounded domains, Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations,58(2019), no. 5, Paper No. 167, 21 pp. 6, 7
work page 2019
-
[33]
B. Gidas and J. Spruck,A priori bounds for positive solutions of nonlinear elliptic equations, Comm. Partial Differential Equations6(1981) 883–901. 3
work page 1981
-
[34]
I. A. Guerra,Solutions of an elliptic system with a nearly critical exponent, Ann. Inst. H. Poincar´ e Anal. Non Lin´ eaire25 (2008), no. 1, 181–200. 2
work page 2008
-
[35]
L. Guo, T. Hu, S. Peng and W, Shuai,Existence and uniqueness of solutions for Choquard equation involving Hardy- Littlewood-Sobolev critical exponent, Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations,58(4), Paper No. 128, 34 pp, 2019. 3
work page 2019
-
[36]
G. Hardy and J. Littlewood,Some properties of fractional integral. I, Math. Z.,27(1928), 565-606. 2
work page 1928
-
[37]
Z. Han,Asymptotic approach to singular solutions for nonlinear elliptic equations involving critical Sobolev exponent, Ann. Inst. Henri Poincar´ e, Anal. Non Lin´ eaire8(1991), 159–174. 2, 7, 17
work page 1991
-
[38]
H. Li, J. Wei, and W. Zou,Uniqueness, multiplicity and nondegeneracy of positive solutions to the Lane-Emden problem, J. Math. Pures Appl.179(2023) 1–67. 2, 22
work page 2023
-
[39]
Le,Symmetry and classification of solutions to an integral equation of the Choquard type, C
P. Le,Symmetry and classification of solutions to an integral equation of the Choquard type, C. R. Math. Acad. Sci. Paris, 357(2019), 878-888. 3, 16, 17
work page 2019
-
[40]
E. H. Lieb,Sharp constants in the Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev and related inequalities, Ann. of Math.,118(1983), 349–374. 3
work page 1983
-
[41]
V. Moroz and J. Van Schaftingen,Ground states of nonlinear Choquard equations: Existence, qualitative properties and decay asymptotics, J. Funct Anal., 2013, 265: 153-–184. 6
work page 2013
-
[42]
T. Mukherjee and K. Sreenadh,Fractional Choquard equation with critical nonlinearities, NoDEA Nonlinear Differential Equations Appl., (2017) 24:63. 6, 7, 16, 17
work page 2017
-
[43]
M. Musso and A. Pistoia,Multispike solutions for a nonlinear elliptic problem involving the critical Sobolev exponent, Indiana Univ. Math. J.,51(2002), 541–579. 2
work page 2002
-
[44]
P. Quittner, P. Souplet,Superlinear Parabolic Problems. Blow-up, Global Existence and Steady States, in: Birkh¨ auser Advanced Texts: Basler Lehrb¨ ucher, Birkh¨ auser Verlag, Basel, 2007. 14
work page 2007
-
[45]
Rey,Proof of two conjectures of H
O. Rey,Proof of two conjectures of H. Brezis and L. A. Peletier, Manus. Math.,65(1989), 19–37. 2, 7
work page 1989
-
[46]
O. Rey,The role of the Green’s function in a nonlinear elliptic equation involving the critical Sobolevexponent, J. Funct. Anal.,89(1990),1–52. 2, 7
work page 1990
-
[47]
O. Rey,The topological impact of critical points at infinity in a variational problem with lack of compactness: the dimension 3, Adv. Differential Equations,4(1999) 581–616. 2
work page 1999
-
[48]
X. Ros-Oton and J. Serra,The Dirichlet problem for the fractional Laplacian: Regularity up to the boundary, J. Math. Pures Appl. 101 (2014) 275–302. 3, 22
work page 2014
-
[49]
X. Ros-Oton and J. Serra,The extremal solution for the fractional Laplacian, Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations, (2014) 50:723–750. 3
work page 2014
-
[50]
E. M. Stein and G. Weiss,Fractional integrals on n-dimensional Euclidean space, J. Math. Mech.,7(1958), 503–514. 13
work page 1958
-
[51]
Sobolev,On a theorem of functional analysis, Translated by J
S. Sobolev,On a theorem of functional analysis, Translated by J. R. Brown. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc.,34(1963), 39-68. 2
work page 1963
-
[52]
Sugitani,On nonexistence of global solutions for some nonlinear integral equations, Osaka J
S. Sugitani,On nonexistence of global solutions for some nonlinear integral equations, Osaka J. Math.,12(1975), 45–51. 3
work page 1975
-
[53]
Talenti,Best constants in Sobolev inequality, Ann
G. Talenti,Best constants in Sobolev inequality, Ann. Mat. Pura Appl.,110(1976), 353–372. 17
work page 1976
-
[54]
Tan,Positive solutions for non local elliptic problems, Discrete Contin
J. Tan,Positive solutions for non local elliptic problems, Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst.,33(2013) 837–859. 3
work page 2013
-
[55]
Tan,The Brezis-Nirenberg type problem involving the square root of the Laplacian, Calc
J. Tan,The Brezis-Nirenberg type problem involving the square root of the Laplacian, Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations 42(2011), no. 1-2, 21–41. 3
work page 2011
-
[56]
X. Wang,On location of blow-up of ground states of semilinear elliptic equations in Rn involving critical sobolev exponent, J. Differential Equations,127, 148–173 (1996). 2
work page 1996
-
[57]
J, Wei,Asymptotic behavior of least energy solutions to a semilinear Dirichlet problem near the critical exponent, J. Math. Soc. Japan, Vol. 50, No. 1, 1998. 2
work page 1998
-
[58]
M. Yang, W. Ye, and S. Zhao,Existence of concentrating solutions of the Hartree type Brezis-Nirenberg problem, J. Differential Equations,344, 260–324 (2023). 6
work page 2023
-
[59]
M. Yang and S. Zhao,Blow-up behavior of solutions to critical Hartree equations on bounded domain, J. Geom. Anal.,33, 191 (2023). 6 38 N. BORGIA, S. CINGOLANI, M. YANG, AND S. ZHAO Natalino Borgia Dipartimento di Matematica, Universit`a degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy. Email address:natalino.borgia@uniba.it Silvia Cingolani...
work page 2023
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.