H\"ormander's method for the characteristic Cauchy problem and conformal scattering for a non linear wave equation

Abstract

The purpose of this note is to prove the existence of a conformal scattering operator for the cubic defocusing wave equation on a non-stationary background. The proof essentially relies on solving the characteristic initial value problem by the method developed by H\"ormander. This method consists in slowing down the propagation speed of the waves to transform a characteristic initial value problem into a standard Cauchy problem.