$\mathrm{L}^1$-estimates for constant rank operators

Abstract

We show that the inequality $$ \|D^{k-1}(u-\pi u)\|_{\mathrm{L}^{n/(n-1)}(\mathbb{R}^n)}\leq c\|\mathbb{B}(D) u\|_{\mathrm{L}^1(\mathbb{R}^n)} $$ holds for vector fields $u\in\mathrm{C}^\infty_c$ if and only if $\mathbb{B}$ is canceling. Here $\pi$ denotes the $\mathrm{L}^2$-orthogonal projection onto the kernel of the $k$-homogeneous differential operator $\mathbb{B}(D)$ of \emph{constant rank} on $\mathbb{R}^n$. Other critical embeddings are established.