Convergence of time averages of weak solutions of the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations

Abstract

Using the concept of stationary statistical solution, which generalizes the notion of invariant measure, it is proved that, in a suitable sense, time averages of almost every Leray-Hopf weak solution of the three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations converge as the averaging time goes to infinity. This system of equations is not known to be globally well-posed, and the above result answers a long-standing problem, extending to this system a classical result from ergodic theory. It is also showed that, from a measure-theoretic point of view, the stationary statistical solution obtained from a generalized limit of time averages is independent of the choice of the generalized limit. Finally, any Borel subset of the phase space with positive measure with respect to a stationary statistical solution is such that for almost all initial conditions in that Borel set and for at least one Leray-Hopf weak solution starting with that initial condition, the corresponding orbit is recurrent to that Borel subset and its mean sojourn time within that Borel subset is strictly positive.