Note on Onsager's conjecture

Abstract

Onsager conjectured that solutions of the incompressible Euler equations possessing a certain degree of roughness do not conserve the kinetic energy. Since, within the physical frame of Onsager's conjecture, the kinetic energy is the only occurring energy, and thus identical with the total energy, the implication would be that the conservation of energy is not absolute, but subject to the properties of mathematical solutions. Further, Onsager introduced the concept of anomalous dissipation of kinetic energy without viscosity. Both these aspects are critically discussed and their shortcomings unveiled.