Recent Advances in Potential Theory and Partial Differential Equations 2025

July 14, 2025 - July 18, 2025

Conference 2025

About the Workshop

After Newton’s discovery of the universal law of gravitation and Gauss’s discovery of the flux theorem for gravity, the main progress in the classical physics was the development of the Potential Theory, which provides the mathematical representation of gravitational fields. Modern Potential Theory is a field of Pure Mathematics in the cross-section of Analysis, Partial Differential Equations (PDE) and Probability Theory, and plays a crucial role for the study of many different phenomena in fluid dynamics, electrostatics and magnetism, quantum mechanics and probability theory. The conference will outline the major current developments in potential theory of elliptic and parabolic PDEs, nonlinear PDE systems in fluid mechanics, including the regularity of weak solutions, Wiener-type criteria for the boundary regularity, regularity of the point at infinity and its probabilistic, measure-theoretical and topological consequences, criteria for the removability of singularities of PDEs representing natural phenomena, singularities of the Navier-Stokes equations, free boundary problems, asymptotic laws for the diffusion processes, conditional Brownian processes, fine and minimal-fine topology and other related topics.

 

PLENARY SPEAKERS: 

Ugur G. Abdulla | OIST, Japan

Hiroaki Aikawa | Chubu University, Japan

Edriss Titi | Texas A & M University, USA

Giuseppe Mingione | University of Parma, Italy

Juan Manfredi | University of Pittsburgh, USA

Zoran Grujic | University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

Zhou-ping Xin | Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

 

Table of Contents

Workshop Schedule

Monday, July 14, 2025 - Friday, July 18, 2025

Schedule for Monday, July 14, 2025

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM

Potential Analysis on Nonsmooth DomainsⅠ
Hiroaki Aikawa, Chubu University, Japan

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM

Potential Analysis on Nonsmooth DomainsⅡ
Hiroaki Aikawa, Chubu University, Japan

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Zhou-ping Xin, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Xuwen Chen, University of Rochester, USA

2:50 PM - 3:30 PM

Coffee Break

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

TBA

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

The Helmholtz decomposition of a BMO type vector field in a domain
Zhongyang Gu, University of Tokyo, Japan

Schedule for Tuesday, July 15, 2025

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM

Mathematical Analysis of Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics Models: Cloud Formation and Sea-ice Models Ⅰ
Edriss Titi, Texas A & M University, USA

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM

Mathematical Analysis of Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics Models: Cloud Formation and Sea-ice Models Ⅱ
Edriss Titi, Texas A & M University, USA

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM

On ruling out a class of type II blow-up scenarios in the hyper-dissipative Navier-Stokes equationsⅠ
Zoran Grujic, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM

On ruling out a class of type II blow-up scenarios in the hyper-dissipative Navier-Stokes equations Ⅱ
Zoran Grujic, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

2:50 PM – 3:30 PM

Coffee Break

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Optimal regularity for nonlocal free boundary problems
Marvin Weidner, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Lyapunov stability and exponential phase-locking of Schrödinger-Lohe oscillators
David Reynolds, Universidad de Granada, Spain

Schedule for Wednesday, July 16, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Kolmogorov Problem and Wiener-type Criteria for the Removability of the Fundamental Singularity for the Elliptic and Parabolic PDEs I
Ugur Abdulla, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Kolmogorov Problem and Wiener-type Criteria for the Removability of the Fundamental Singularity for the Elliptic and Parabolic PDEs II
Ugur Abdulla, Okinawa Institute of Technology, Japan

11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Irina Mitrea, Temple University, USA

2:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Excursion
Details to be announced soon

Schedule for Thursday, July 17, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Giuseppe Mingione, University of Parma, Italy

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Giuseppe Mingione, University of Parma, Italy

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM

The Dirichlet problem as the boundary of the Poisson problem
Bruno Poggi, University of Pittsburgh, USA

2:00 PM - 2:50 PM

Optimal Liouville theorems for conformally invariant PDEs
Zongyuan Li, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2:50 PM - 3:30 PM

Coffee Break

3:30 PM - 4:20 PM

On well-posedness of s-Schrödinger maps
Armin Schikorra, University of Pittsburgh, USA

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Recent advances in nonlocal potential theory
Minhyun Kim, Hanyang University, South Korea

5:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Carleson Measure Estimates Imply the Parabolic Measure is Muckenhaupt Infinity in the Case of a Graph Domain That's Lipschitz With Respect to the Parabolic Metric
James Warta, University of Missouri, USA

Schedule for Friday, July 18, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Juan Manfredi, University of Pittsburgh, USA

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Juan Manfredi, University of Pittsburgh, USA

11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

To play around in a numerical sandbox to generate and illustrate potential theory conjectures
Torbjorn Lundh, Chalmers Inst of Technology, Sweden

2:00 PM - 2:50 PM

Title and Abstract: TBA
Eliot Fried, OIST, Japan

2:50 PM - 3:30 PM

Coffee Break

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Isoperimetric inequality for multiply winding curves
James McCoy, University of Newcastle, Australia

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Existence and Regularity Result for a Heisenberg 𝜑-Laplacian Problem Without Space Reflexivity
Abderrahmane Lakhdari, Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM

TBA

Monday, July 14, 2025

・9:00 AM - 9:50 AM  

Potential Analysis on Nonsmooth DomainsⅠ

Hiroaki Aikawa, Chubu University  
 
Abstract: The Laplace and heat equations are classical and often considered well understood. However, many questions about the boundary behavior of solutions and supersolutions in general domains remain open. In this talk, we explore how domain complexity affects potential-theoretic properties, including the integrability of positive superharmonic functions, the Martin boundary, elliptic and parabolic boundary Harnack principles, intrinsic ultracontractivity, and related notions. To this end, we examine various nonsmooth domains, such as Lipschitz, NTA, uniform, inner uniform, John, Hölder, and $L^p$ domains, among others. The first lecture presents the main results, while the second provides an outline of the key techniques and proof strategies.

 

・10:00 AM – 10:50 AM  

Potential Analysis on Nonsmooth DomainsⅡ

Hiroaki Aikawa, Chubu University  

Abstract: The Laplace and heat equations are classical and often considered well understood. However, many questions about the boundary behavior of solutions and supersolutions in general domains remain open. In this talk, we explore how domain complexity affects potential-theoretic properties, including the integrability of positive superharmonic functions, the Martin boundary, elliptic and parabolic boundary Harnack principles, intrinsic ultracontractivity, and related notions. To this end, we examine various nonsmooth domains, such as Lipschitz, NTA, uniform, inner uniform, John, Hölder, and $L^p$ domains, among others. The first lecture presents the main results, while the second provides an outline of the key techniques and proof strategies.

 

・11:00 AM – 11:50 AM  

Title: TBA

Zhou-ping Xin, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Abstract: TBA

 

・2:00 PM – 2:50 PM 

Title: TBA

Xuwen Chen, University of Rochester, USA

Abstract: TBA

 

( 2:50 PM – 3:30 PM  Coffee Break  )

 

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM   TBA

 

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

The Helmholtz decomposition of a BMO type vector field in a domain

Zhongyang Gu, University of Tokyo, Japan  

Abstract: The Helmholtz decomposition in the \(Lp\)-setting was well-studied for. However,it is not suitable to investigate this decomposition for the  vector fields. In this talk, we will introduce a BMO type of vector fields in a domain, whose normal component to the boundary is well-controlled, and present its Helmholtz decomposition as a substitute theory for the setting. This talk is based on a series of joint works with Professor Yoshikazu Giga (The University of Tokyo).

 

 Tuesday, July 15, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Mathematical Analysis of Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics Models: Cloud Formation and Sea-ice Models Ⅰ

Edriss Titi, Texas A & M University, USA

Abstract: In these talks we will present rigorous analytical results concerning global regularity, in the viscous case, and finite-time singularity, in the inviscid case, for oceanic and atmospheric dynamics models. Moreover, we will also provide a rigorous justification of the derivation of the Primitive Equations of planetary scale oceanic dynamics from the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations as the vanishing limit of the small aspect ratio of the depth to horizontal width. In addition, we will also show the global well-posedeness of the coupled three-dimensional viscous Primitive Equations with a micro-physics phase change moisture model for cloud formation. Eventually, we will also present short-time well-posedness of solutions to the Hibler’s sea-ice model.

 

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM  

Mathematical Analysis of Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics Models: Cloud Formation and Sea-ice Models Ⅱ

Edriss Titi, Texas A & M University, USA

Abstract: In these talks we will present rigorous analytical results concerning global regularity, in the viscous case, and finite-time singularity, in the inviscid case, for oceanic and atmospheric dynamics models. Moreover, we will also provide a rigorous justification of the derivation of the Primitive Equations of planetary scale oceanic dynamics from the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations as the vanishing limit of the small aspect ratio of the depth to horizontal width. In addition, we will also show the global well-posedeness of the coupled three-dimensional viscous Primitive Equations with a micro-physics phase change moisture model for cloud formation. Eventually, we will also present short-time well-posedness of solutions to the Hibler’s sea-ice model.

 

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM 

On ruling out a class of type II blow-up scenarios in the hyper-dissipative Navier-Stokes equationsⅠ

Zoran Grujic, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

Abstract: 

It has been known since the pioneering work of J.L. Lions in 1960s that 3D hyper-dissipative (HD) Navier-Stokes (NS) system does not permit formation of singularities as long as the hyper-dissipation exponent, say beta, is greater or equal to 5/4. Recall that at 5/4 the system is in the critical regime — the energy level and the scaling-invariant levels coincide — while for beta greater than 5/4 the system is in the sub-critical regime. The question of global-in-time regularity in the super-critical regime, beta strictly between 1 and 5/4, has remained a fundamental open problem in mathematical fluid dynamics. 

The main goal of the two lectures is to present a mathematical framework — built around a suitably defined scale of sparseness of the super-level sets of the components of the higher-order velocity derivatives — in which a class of `turbulent' blow-up scenarios can be ruled out as soon as the hyper-dissipation exponent is greater than 1. In particular, a class of type II generalized self-similar blow-ups is ruled out which — in turn — rules out approximately self-similar blow-ups, a prime candidate for singularity formation, in all 3D HD NS systems. This is a joint work with L. Xu.

 

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM  

On ruling out a class of type II blow-up scenarios in the hyper-dissipative Navier-Stokes equations Ⅱ

Zoran Grujic, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Abstract: 

It has been known since the pioneering work of J.L. Lions in 1960s that 3D hyper-dissipative (HD) Navier-Stokes (NS) system does not permit formation of singularities as long as the hyper-dissipation exponent, say beta, is greater or equal to 5/4. Recall that at 5/4 the system is in the critical regime — the energy level and the scaling-invariant levels coincide — while for beta greater than 5/4 the system is in the sub-critical regime. The question of global-in-time regularity in the super-critical regime, beta strictly between 1 and 5/4, has remained a fundamental open problem in mathematical fluid dynamics. 

The main goal of the two lectures is to present a mathematical framework — built around a suitably defined scale of sparseness of the super-level sets of the components of the higher-order velocity derivatives — in which a class of `turbulent' blow-up scenarios can be ruled out as soon as the hyper-dissipation exponent is greater than 1. In particular, a class of type II generalized self-similar blow-ups is ruled out which — in turn — rules out approximately self-similar blow-ups, a prime candidate for singularity formation, in all 3D HD NS systems. This is a joint work with L. Xu.

 

( 2:50 PM – 3:30 PM Coffee Break )

 

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM  

Optimal regularity for nonlocal free boundary problems

Marvin Weidner, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain

Abstract: Free boundary problems have been a central topic of research in PDE theory for the last fifty years. An increasingly prominent class is that of nonlocal free boundary problems, which naturally arises in models where long range interactions need to be taken into account. In this talk, I will present a recent result on the optimal regularity of solutions to obstacle problems for general nonlocal operators. Interestingly, our approach draws on insights from a seemingly distinct problem, the nonlocal one-phase free boundary problem. This talk is based on joint works with Xavier Ros-Oton.

 

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Lyapunov stability and exponential phase-locking of Schrödinger-Lohe oscillators

David Reynolds, Universidad de Granada, Spain

Abstract:  In this talk based off of joint works with Paolo Antonelli (GSSI) we ill discuss some basics of synchronization dynamics. Then we will introduce the Schrödinger-Lohe model for quantum synchronization. The model is described by a system of Schrödinger equations, coupled through nonlinear, non-Hamiltonian interactions that drive the system towards phase synchronization. The model can be viewed as a quantum generalization of the famous Kuramoto model of phase-synchronization. Despite enjoying similar structural qualities, until recently stability and conver-ence to phase-locked state for nonidentical oscillators has been elusive. e present such stability and convergence results which brings the state f the art for the Schrödinger-Lohe model closer to that of other models within the Kuramoto family. Keywords: emergence, quantum synchronization, Schrödinger-Lohe model.

 

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Kolmogorov Problem and Wiener-type Criteria for the Removability of the Fundamental Singularity for the Elliptic and Parabolic PDEs I

Ugur G. Abdulla, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Abstract: This talk will address the major problem in the Analysis of PDEs on the nature of singularities reflecting the natural phenomena. I will present my solution of the Kolmogorov's Problem (1928) expressed in terms of the new Wiener-type criterion for the removability of the fundamental singularity for the heat equation. The new concept of regularity or irregularity of singularity point for the parabolic (or elliptic) PDEs is defined according to whether or not the caloric (or harmonic) measure of the singularity point is null or positive. The new Wiener-type criterion precisely characterizes the uniqueness of boundary value problems with singular data, reveal the nature of the harmonic or caloric measure of the singularity point, asymptotic laws for the conditional Brownian motion, and criteria for thinness in minimal-fine topology. The talk will end with the description of some outstanding open problems and perspectives of the development of the potential theory of nonlinear elliptic and parabolic PDEs.

 

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM

Kolmogorov Problem and Wiener-type Criteria for the Removability of the Fundamental Singularity for the Elliptic and Parabolic PDEs II

Ugur G. Abdulla, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan     

Abstract: In this talk I will sketch the proof of the new Wiener-type criterion for the removability of the fundamental singularity and, equivalently, the unique solvability of the singular Dirichlet problem for the heat equation. This work fully characterizes the removability of non-isolated boundary singularities through the fine-topological thinness of the exterior set near the singularity point. A significant tool in this characterization is the new concept of h-capacity of Borel sets, which measures thinness and establishes singularity behavior via the divergence of weighted sums of h-capacities within nested shells.

 

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM  

Title: TBA

Professor Irina Mitrea, Temple University, USA   

Abstract: TBA

 

2:00 PM  – 9:00 PM   

Excursion

 

Thursday, July 17, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM  

Title: TBA

Giuseppe Mingione, University of Parma, Italy    

Abstract: TBA

 

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM  

Title: TBA

Giuseppe Mingione, University of Parma, Italy    

Abstract: TBA

 

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM 

The Dirichlet problem as the boundary of the Poisson problem

Bruno Poggi, University of Pittsburgh, USA    

Abstract: We review certain classical quantitative estimates (known as non-tangential maximal function estimates) for the solutions to the Dirichlet boundary value problem for the Laplace equation in a smooth domain in Euclidean space, when the boundary data lies in an $L^p$ space, $p>1$. A natural question that arises is: what might an analogous estimate for the inhomogeneous Poisson problem look like? We will answer this question precisely, and in so doing, we will unravel deep and new connections between the solvability of the (homogeneous) Dirichlet problem for the Laplace equation with data in $L^p$ and the solvability of the (inhomogeneous) Poisson problem for the Laplace equation with data in certain Carleson spaces. We employ this theory to solve a 20-year-old problem in the area, to give new characterizations and a new local T1-type theorem for the solvability of the Dirichlet problem under consideration, and to furnish a bridge to the mathematical physics theory of the Filoche-Mayboroda landscape function. The new results are the product of joint work with Mihalis Mourgoglou and Xavier Tolsa.

 

2:00 PM - 2:50 PM 

Optimal Liouville theorems for conformally invariant PDEs

Zongyuan Li, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Abstract: The celebrated result of Caffarelli, Gidas, and Spruck (1989) classified all nonnegative solutions to a class of semilinear elliptic PDEs, establishing a cornerstone Liouville-type theorem. In this talk, we present an optimal generalization to the fully nonlinear, conformally invariant setting. Time permitting, we will also discuss some applications in conformal geometry. This is joint work with B. Z. Chu and Y. Y. Li (Rutgers).

 

( 2:50 PM – 3:30 PM  Coffee Break )

 

3:30 PM – 4:20 PM 

On well-posedness of $s$-Schrödinger maps

Armin Schikorra, University of Pittsburgh, USA

Abstract: I am going to present recent progress on well-posedness of a nonlinear Schrödinger system with loss of derivatives that is a model equation for the $s$-Schrödinger map system \(\partial_t u = u \wedge (-\Delta)^s u\) - which for $s = 1/2$ is the halfwave map equation, for $s = 1$ it is the Schrödinger map equation. We consider the case \(s \in (1/2,1)\).

Joint work with Ahmed Dughayshim and Silvino Reyes-Farina.

 

4:30 PM – 5:00 PM 

Recent advances in nonlocal potential theory

Professor Minhyun Kim, Hanyang University, South Korea

Abstract: Nonlocal potential theory is the study of $L$-harmonic functions with respect to nonlocal operators $L$ modeled on the fractional Laplacian. In this talk, I will present recent results on local and boundary behavior of $L$-harmonic functions. The main topics include the removability theorem, isolated singularity theorem, boundary regularity, Wiener criterion, and Green function estimates. This talk is based on joint works with Anders Björn, Jana Björn, Ki-Ahm Lee, Se-Chan Lee, and Marvin Weidner.

 

5:00 PM – 5:30 PM  

Carleson Measure Estimates Imply the Parabolic Measure is Muckenhaupt Infinity in the Case of a Graph Domain That's Lipschitz With Respect to the Parabolic Metric

James Warta, University of Missouri, USA

Abstract: The weak solutions to the parabolic Dirichlet problem on a domain whose boundary can be described locally the graph of a function that is Lipschitz with respect to the parabolic metric obey a Carleson measure estimate, then the corresponding parabolic measure on the boundary will belong to the Muckenhaupt class infinity. This improves the existing literature which places additional assumptions on the parabolic uniform rectifiability of the boundary or, equivalently, on the half-order time derivative.

 

Friday, July 18, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Title: TBA

Juan Manfredi, University of Pittsburgh, USA     

Abstract: TBA

 

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM  

Title: TBA

Juan Manfredi, University of Pittsburgh, USA     

Abstract: TBA

 

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM  

To play around in a numerical sandbox to generate and illustrate potential theory conjectures

Torbjorn Lundh, Chalmers Inst of Technology, Sweden

Abstract: A useful classical method in analysis to think and generate new ideas is to sketch and doodle on paper or a black/white–board as an experimental sandbox to enhance our mental processes and to generate new ideas. I would like to exemplify a way to augment this classical method by using numerical methods, while hopefully still preserve our playfulness and creativity. As a first example, I would like to talk about some old, but still unpublished work, initiated with the collaboration, on the so-called 3G-inequality, with our here present delegate, professor Hiroaki Aikawa, resulting in “The 3G inequality for a uniformly John domain” (Kodai Mathematical Journal, 28(2): 209–219, 2005) extending an earlier result of Cranston, Fabes and Zhao: “Conditional gauge and potential theory for the Schrödinger operator” (Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 307,1988). The second example of this numerical “sandbox technique” will be about an ill-posed free-boundary problem inspired from a biological process that could be seen as an inverse Heley-Shaw flow process. To conclude, the presentation will be focused how one could use high-levelnumerical tool boxes, such as Comsol Multiphysics, to play around to generate conjectures, to be later proven by classical analytic methods.

 

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM  

Title: TBA

Eliot Fried, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Abstract: TBA

 

( 2:50 PM – 3:30 PM  Coffee Break )

 

・3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Isoperimetric inequality for multiply winding curves

James McCoy, University of Newcastle, Australia

Abstract: We’ll discuss some old and new results for the isoperimetric inequality in the plane, for closed curves of positive integer winding number.  In particular, I will outline some work in progress with Yong Wei and Glen Wheeler on a new nonlinear fourth order parabolic curvature flow that can be used to prove an isoperimetric inequality for multiply winding curves of sufficiently small oscillation of curvature.  Time permitting, I will outline how this flow can also be used to prove a similar result for embedded curves in the sphere and multiply-winding curves in hyperbolic space.

 

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Existence and Regularity Result for a Heisenberg 𝜑-Laplacian Problem Without Space Reflexivity

Abderrahmane Lakhdari, Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia

Abstract: This presentation aims to investigate the existence of at least one weak solution for a nonlinear problem governed by the Heisenberg 𝜑-Laplacian under Dirichlet boundary conditions. We examine this problem in both reflexive and non-reflexive cases of the associated Heisenberg Orlicz-Sobolev space. Additionally, we seek to establish certain regularity and uniqueness results under suitable assumptions. To achieve this, we employ variational and topological methods. Furthermore, we provide an illustrative example to support our findings.

 

・4:30 PM – 5:00 PM

TBA