An optimal result for global existence and boundedness in a three-dimensional Keller-Segel(-Navier)-Stokes system (involving a tensor-valued sensitivity with saturation)

Abstract

The coupled quasilinear Keller-Segel-Navier-Stokes system $$ \left\{ \begin{array}{l} n_t+u\cdot\nabla n=\Delta n-\nabla\cdot(nS(x,n,c)\nabla c),\quad x\in \Omega, t>0, c_t+u\cdot\nabla c=\Delta c-c+n,\quad x\in \Omega, t>0, u_t+\kappa(u \cdot \nabla)u+\nabla P=\Delta u+n\nabla \phi,\quad x\in \Omega, t>0, \nabla\cdot u=0,\quad x\in \Omega, t>0 \end{array}\right.\eqno(KSNF) $$ is considered under Neumann boundary conditions for $n$ and $c$ and no-slip boundary conditions for $u$ in three-dimensional bounded domains $\Omega\subseteq \mathbb{R}^3$ with smooth boundary, where $\kappa\in \mathbb{R}$ is given constant, $\phi\in W^{1,\infty}(\Omega),m>0$, $|S(x,n,c)|\leq C_S(1+n)^{-\alpha}$ and the parameter $\alpha\geq0$. %For any small $\mu>0$, If $\alpha>\frac{1}{3}$, then for all reasonably regular initial data, a corresponding initial-boundary value problem for $(KSNF)$ possesses a globally defined weak solution. This result improves the result of Wang (Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci., 27(14):2745--2780, 2017), where the global {\bf very weak} solution for system $(KSNF)$ is obtained. Moreover, if $\kappa=0$ and $S(x,n,c)=C_S(1+n)^{-\alpha}$, then the system $(KSF)$ exists at least one global classical solution which is bounded in $\Omega\times(0,\infty)$. These results significantly improve or extend previous results of several authors. In comparison to the result for the corresponding fluid-free system, the {\bf optimal condition} on the parameter $\alpha$ for global (weak) existence and boundedness is obtained. Our proofs rely on Maximal Sobolev regularity techniques and on a variant of the natural gradient-like energy functional.