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# A unified approach to improved 𝐿^𝑝 Hardy inequalities with best constants

## 1 Introduction

The classical Hardy inequality asserts that for any $`p>1`$

$$_{𝐑^N}|u|^p𝑑x\left|\frac{Np}{p}\right|^p_{𝐑^N}\frac{|u|^p}{|x|^p}𝑑x,uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(𝐑^N\{0\}),$$
(1.1)
with $`|\frac{Np}{p}|^p`$ being the best constant, see for example \[HLP\], \[OK\], \[DH\]. The best constant remains the same if $`𝐑^N`$ is replaced by a domain $`\mathrm{\Omega }𝐑^N`$ containing the origin. Moreover, if $`\mathrm{\Omega }𝐑^N`$ is a convex domain, possibly unbounded, with smooth boundary, and $`d(x)=\mathrm{dist}(x,\mathrm{\Omega })`$ the following Hardy inequality:

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑x\left(\frac{p1}{p}\right)^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}𝑑x,uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega }),$$
(1.2)
was recently established, with $`(\frac{p1}{p})^p`$ being the best constant, cf \[MS\], \[MMP\]. See \[OK\] for a comprehensive account of Hardy inequalities and \[D\] for a review of recent results.

Recently improved versions of (1.1) and (1.2) have been obtained. In \[BV\] it is shown that for a bounded domain $`\mathrm{\Omega }𝐑^N`$ there holds

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^2𝑑x\left|\frac{N2}{2}\right|^2_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{u^2}{|x|^2}𝑑xc_\mathrm{\Omega }^{}_\mathrm{\Omega }u^2𝑑x,$$
(1.3)
with $`c_\mathrm{\Omega }^{}=\mathrm{\Lambda }_2(\omega _N/|\mathrm{\Omega }|)^{2/N}`$, where $`\mathrm{\Lambda }_2=5.783\mathrm{}`$ is the square of the first zero of the Bessel function $`J_0`$. It was shown in \[FT\] that the optimal constant $`c_\mathrm{\Omega }`$ in (1.3) satisfies $`c_\mathrm{\Omega }>c_\mathrm{\Omega }^{}`$, unless $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is a ball centered at the origin. In \[GGM\] estimate (1.3) was generalized for $`1<p<N`$. It was shown that when $`2p<N`$ one can take $`c_\mathrm{\Omega }^{}=\mathrm{\Lambda }_p(\omega _N/|\mathrm{\Omega }|)^{p/N}`$ (here $`\mathrm{\Lambda }_p`$ is the first eigenvalue of the $`p`$-Laplacian in the unit ball in ‘$`p`$-dimensions’); this is not true when $`1<p<2`$.

In another direction, in \[VZ\], Hilbert space methods were used to derive the following Improved Hardy-Poincaré Inequality

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^2𝑑x\left(\frac{N2}{2}\right)^2_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{u^2}{|x|^2}𝑑xc\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^q𝑑x\right)^{2/q}$$
(1.4)
for any $`1q<2`$.

Analogous results have been obtained in the case of Hardy inequalities with distance from the boundary. In particular it was proved in \[BM\] that for bounded and convex domains there holds

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^2𝑑x\frac{1}{4}_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{u^2}{d^2}𝑑x\frac{1}{4L^2}_\mathrm{\Omega }u^2𝑑x$$
(1.5)
and

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^2𝑑x\frac{1}{4}_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{u^2}{d^2}𝑑x\frac{1}{4}_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{u^2}{d^2(1\mathrm{log}(d/L))^2}𝑑x,$$
(1.6)
where $`L=\mathrm{diam}(\mathrm{\Omega })`$.

Hardy inequalities as well as their improved versions have various applications in the theory of partial differential equations and nonlinear analysis. They have been useful in the study of the stability of solutions of semi-linear elliptic and parabolic equations \[PV\], \[BV\], \[V\] as well as in the existence and asymptotic behavior of the heat equation with singular potentials, cf \[BC\], \[CM\], \[VZ\]; see also \[GP\] for the $`p`$-heat equation. They have also been used to investigate the stability of eigenvalues in elliptic problems \[D, FHT\].

In this work we present a general approach to improved Hardy inequalities valid for any $`p>1`$ and for different choices of the distance function $`d(x)`$: besides the two cases above – distance from a point and distance from the boundary – we consider the more general case where $`d(x)`$ is the distance of $`x\mathrm{\Omega }`$ from a piecewise smooth surface $`K`$ of codimension $`k`$, $`1kN`$. In case $`k=N`$ we adopt the convention that $`K`$ is a point.

In our approach the following geometric assumption on $`K`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is crucial: if $`d(x)=\mathrm{dist}(x,K)`$ then the following inequality should hold in the weak sense:

$$pk,\mathrm{\Delta }_pd^{\frac{pk}{p1}}0,\text{ in }\mathrm{\Omega }K\text{.}(𝐂)$$

Here $`\mathrm{\Delta }_p`$ denotes the usual $`p`$-Laplace operator, $`\mathrm{\Delta }_pw=\mathrm{div}(|w|^{p2}w)`$. This condition is analyzed in detail in Section 2. Here we simply note that (C) is always satisfied when $`k=N`$ and $`d(x)`$ measures the distance from a point as well as when $`k=1`$, $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is convex and $`d(x)`$ is the distance from $`K=\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Condition (C) can be interpreted as a higher-codimension analogue of the usual convexity condition that appears in Hardy’s inequality when $`k=1`$ and $`K=\mathrm{\Omega }`$; cf (1.2).

In order to describe our results we introduce the function

$$X(t)=1/\mathrm{log}t,t(0,1).$$

Our main theorem then is the following:

Theorem A (Improved Hardy Inequality) Let $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ be a domain in $`𝐑^N`$ and $`K`$ a piecewise smooth surface of codimension $`k`$, $`k=1,\mathrm{},N`$. Suppose that $`sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)<\mathrm{}`$ and condition (C) is satisfied. Then
(1) There exists a positive constant $`D_0=D_0(k,p)sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)`$ such that for any $`DD_0`$ and all $`uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ there holds

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^pdx|\frac{kp}{p}|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}dx\frac{p1}{2p}|\frac{kp}{p}|^{p2}_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^2(d/D)dx.$$
(1.7)
If in addition $`2p<k`$, then we can take $`D_0=sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)`$.
(2) Both constants appearing in (1.7) as well as the exponent two in $`X^2`$ are optimal in either of the following cases:

$`(a)`$ $`k=N`$ and $`K=\{0\}\mathrm{\Omega }`$;
$`(b)`$ $`k=1`$ and $`K=\mathrm{\Omega }`$.
$`(c)`$ $`2kN1`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }K\mathrm{}`$;
The optimality of the constants and the exponent is meant in the following sense:

$$\left|\frac{pk}{p}\right|^p=inf\left\{_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑x,_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}𝑑x=1\right\}.$$

Further, if $`\gamma <2`$, then, no matter how large $`D`$ is, there is no $`c>0`$ such that

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑x\left|\frac{pk}{p}\right|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}𝑑xc_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^\gamma (d/D)𝑑x;$$

and finally, for any $`DD_0`$,

$$\frac{p1}{2p}\left|\frac{pk}{p}\right|^{p2}=inf\{_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^pdx|\frac{kp}{p}|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}dx,_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^2(d/D)dx=1\}.$$

A few remarks are in order:

1. The assumption $`DD_0`$ is only necessary in order to obtain the precise constant $`(p1)/(2p)|(kp)/p|^{p2}`$. We can take any $`D>sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)`$ at the expense of having a smaller constant $`c=c(p,k,D)`$ in the right hand side of (1.7).

2. The logarithmic correction in the right hand side is independent of $`p>1`$. Also it is worth pointing out that the constant of the Improved Hardy Inequality depends only on $`p`$ and $`k`$ and not on $`K`$, the dimension $`N`$, or $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. This is in contrast to the Improved Hardy Inequalities which involve the unweighted $`L^p`$ norm in the right hand side (see e.g. (1.3), (1.5)).

3. A simple density argument shows that if $`p<k`$ then $`W_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)=W_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega })`$.

4. We only assume that $`\mathrm{dist}(x,K)`$ is bounded on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$, not that $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ itself is bounded.

In case $`p=2`$ and $`k=1`$ or $`N`$, part (1) of Theorem A has been obtained in \[BM, BV\] by a different method. We are aware of very few results in the literature for $`1<k<N`$, concerning even the simple Hardy inequality with best constant; for the case $`p=2`$ see \[D, DM\], and \[M\] Section 2.1.6.

We present two different approaches to the Improved Hardy Inequality. The first is based on a suitable change of variables \[BM, BV, GGM, M\]. While this method does not yield the optimal constant in the right hand side of (1.7), it has the advantage that it easily leads to non-homogeneous improved Hardy inequalities. We note that in this method the arguments used for $`1<p<2`$ differ from those used for $`p2`$. The second approach is based on the careful choice of a suitable vector field and an elementary integral inequality and is the one that gives the sharp constants. It is remarkable that condition (C) comes up naturally in both approaches.

It is well known that for $`k=N`$ (distance from a point) there is no Hardy inequality if $`p=N`$. More generally there is no Hardy inequality if $`p=k`$, $`1kjN`$. For that case we provide a substitute for Hardy inequality with optimal weight and best constant; see Theorems 4.8 and 5.4.

We next consider non-homogeneous improved Hardy inequalities which involve $`L^q`$ norms with $`qp`$, in the right hand side. In this direction we have the following:

Theorem B (Improved Hardy-Poincaré Inequality) Let $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ be a domain in $`𝐑^N`$ and $`K`$ a piecewise smooth surface of codimension $`k`$, $`k=1,\mathrm{},N`$. Suppose that $`sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}\mathrm{dist}(x,K)<\mathrm{}`$ and condition (C) is satisfied. Then
(1) For any $`D>sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}\mathrm{dist}(x,K)`$, $`1q<p`$ and $`\beta >1+q/p`$ there exists a positive constant $`c>0`$ such that for all $`uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ there holds:

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^pdx|\frac{kp}{p}|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}dxc(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^qd^{k(1+q/p)}X^\beta (d/D)dx)^{p/q}.$$
(1.8)
(2)The estimate is sharp in the sense that the exponent of $`X`$ in the right hand side of (1.8) cannot be smaller than $`1+q/p`$, in either of the cases (a), (b), (c) of part (2) of Theorem A.

For $`p=2`$ and $`k=N`$ this strengthens inequality (1.4).

We next consider Improved Hardy Sobolev inequalities. Let $`K=\{x𝐑^N|x_1=x_2=\mathrm{}=x_k=0\}`$, $`1kN1`$. Then, in \[M\] the following inequality is established (see Corollary 3, section 2.1.6) for any $`2<q\frac{2N}{N2}`$:

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^2𝑑x\left|\frac{k2}{2}\right|^2_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{u^2}{d^2}𝑑xc\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^qd^{qN+Nq/2}𝑑x\right)^{2/q},$$
(1.9)
for any $`uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(𝐑^NK)`$. The question was posed in \[M\] whether an analogue result holds for $`p2`$.

For $`k=N`$ that is $`K=\{0\}\mathrm{\Omega }`$, a bounded domain in $`𝐑^N`$ an analogous inequality is shown in \[BV\], valid any $`2q<\frac{2N}{N2}`$:

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^2𝑑x\left|\frac{N2}{2}\right|^2_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{u^2}{|x|^2}𝑑xc\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^q𝑑x\right)^{2/q}.$$

Our result reads:

Theorem C (Improved Hardy-Sobolev Inequality)

(1) Let $`K=\{x𝐑^N|x_1=x_2=\mathrm{}=x_k=0\}`$, $`1kN1`$. Assume that $`2p<N`$ and $`p<qNp/(Np)`$. Then there exists a constant $`c>0`$ such that for all $`uW_0^{1,p}(𝐑^NK)`$ there holds

$$_{𝐑^N}|u|^pdx|\frac{kp}{p}|^p_{𝐑^N}\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}dxc(_{𝐑^N}|u|^qd^{qN+Nq/p}dx)^{p/q}.$$
(1.10)
(2) Let $`k=N`$, that is $`K=\{0\}\mathrm{\Omega }`$, a bounded domain in $`𝐑^N`$. Assume that $`1<p<N`$ and $`pq<Np/(Np)`$. Then there exists a constant $`c>0`$ such that for all $`uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega })`$

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^pdx|\frac{kp}{p}|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}dxc(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^qd^{qN+Nq/p}X^{1+q/p}(d/D)dx)^{p/q}.$$
(1.11)
Inequality (1.11) is optimal in the sense that $`X^{1+q/p}`$ cannot be replaced by a smaller power of $`X`$.

A simple scaling argument shows that the exponent of $`d`$ in (1.10) is optimal. Hence it comes as a remarkable fact that the case $`k=N`$ is different from the case $`k<N`$. It is an open question whether (1.11) remains true in the critical case $`q=Np/(Np)`$. One can see that for $`q=Np/(Np)`$ one cannot have an inequality (1.11) without the presence of the logarithmic correction. In fact one cannot even have the weak $`L^{Np/(Np)}`$ norm in the right hand side; see Proposition 6.8. On the other hand inequality (1.11) is true in the critical case if we replace $`X^{1+q/p}`$ by $`X^{2q/p}`$. This last result is contained in Theorem 6.4 where an inequality weaker than (1.10) and (1.11) is shown valid for $`kN`$ and non-affine $`K`$.

The structure of the paper is as follows: in Section 2 we discuss the geometric assumptions on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ and $`K`$; in particular we provide specific examples for which condition (C) is satisfied. Section 3 contains our first approach to Improved hardy inequalities, whereas Section 4 is devoted to the vector field approach which yields the best constants. In Section 5 we prove the optimality of the constants involved in Theorem A. Finally in Section 6, we use the results of Section 3 to obtain non-homogeneous inequalities.

Acknowledgment. We would like to thank E.M. Harrell II for a useful discussion and for bringing to our attention inequality (4.2) below.

## 2 The geometry of $`K`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$

In this section we shall introduce the main geometric assumptions concerning $`K`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$, and we will fix some notational conventions. Throughout this work $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is a domain in $`𝐑^N`$ and $`K`$ is a piecewise smooth closed and connected surface of codimension $`k=2,3\mathrm{}N1`$. We also allow for the two extreme cases $`k=1`$ or $`N`$, with the following convention: If $`k=N`$ then $`K`$ is reduced to a point, say the origin. If $`k=1`$, then we take $`K`$ to be the boundary of $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$, that is $`K=\mathrm{\Omega }`$.

In all cases we define the distance function $`d(x)`$ by

$$d(x)=\mathrm{dist}(x,K),x\mathrm{\Omega }.$$

Hence for $`k=N`$ we have $`d(x)=|x|`$, whereas for $`k=1`$, $`d(x)`$ is the distance from the boundary of $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Let us note that $`d(x)`$ is a Lipschitz continuous function with $`|d|=1`$ a.e..

We now come to our main geometric assumption on $`K`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$, expressed in terms of the distance function $`d`$. We introduce the following geometric condition:

$$pk\text{ and }\mathrm{\Delta }_pd^{\frac{pk}{p1}}0\text{ on }\mathrm{\Omega }K.(𝐂)$$

Formal calculations give

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_pd^{\frac{pk}{p1}}=\frac{pk}{p1}\left|\frac{pk}{p1}\right|^{p2}d^k(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+(1k)|d|^2),$$

so that, since $`|d|=1`$ a.e., an equivalent formulation of (C) is

$$(pk)(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k)0\text{ on }\mathrm{\Omega }K.$$

The precise meaning of the above condition is the following: we consider the linear functional

$`A[\varphi ]`$ $`:=`$ $`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|d|^2\varphi 𝑑x{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}dd\varphi dx+(1k){\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}\varphi 𝑑x`$
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}dd\varphi dxk{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}\varphi 𝑑x,\varphi C_c^1(\mathrm{\Omega }K),`$
and require that for all non-negative $`\varphi C_c^1(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ there holds $`(pk)A[\varphi ]0`$. In this context, and in order to simplify our notation, we shall use the expression

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k)\varphi 𝑑x,\varphi C_c^1(\mathrm{\Omega }K),$$

to denote the functional $`A[\varphi ]`$. This allows us to perform formal integrations by parts as if $`\mathrm{\Delta }d`$ were a locally integrable function in $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Taking for instance $`\varphi =\psi /d`$ in the definition above we obtain the relation

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }\psi \mathrm{\Delta }𝑑dx=_\mathrm{\Omega }\psi ddx,\psi C_c^1(\mathrm{\Omega }K).$$

This also justifies the following convention: assuming that (C) is satisfied, we define:

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right|\varphi 𝑑x=\{\begin{array}{cc}\hfill A[\varphi ],& \text{if }p<k\hfill \\ \hfill A[\varphi ],& \text{if }p>k\text{;}\hfill \end{array}$$

this is a positive functional on $`C_c^1(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ and it is then easily seen that

$$\left|_\mathrm{\Omega }\left(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right)\varphi 𝑑x\right|_\mathrm{\Omega }\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right||\varphi |𝑑x,\varphi C_c^1(\mathrm{\Omega }K).$$

We next present some examples in which condition (C) is satisfied. The first two concern the cases $`k=1`$ and $`k=N`$, which are the most popular in the literature. Then we consider the intermediate cases $`2kN1`$. One then is lead to rather special assumptions on $`K`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. This is not due to lack of pairs $`(K,\mathrm{\Omega })`$ that satisfy (C); indeed, it is easy to see that given any $`K`$ one can always find an $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ such that (C) is satisfied: simply take $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ to be any domain contained in the set

$$\{x𝐑^N:d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k0\text{ (or }0\text{)}\}.$$

An analytical description of such sets $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is possible only after extra assumptions on $`K`$.

Example 1. Let $`k=N`$ so that $`K=\{0\}`$. Then $`d(x)=|x|`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }d^{2N}=0`$ away from $`x=0`$, hence condition (C) is satisfied for any $`1<p<\mathrm{}`$ and any $`\mathrm{\Omega }𝐑^N`$.

Example 2. Suppose that $`k=1`$, so that $`K=\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Then (C) is satisfied for all $`1<p<\mathrm{}`$ provided we make the additional assumption that $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is convex. To see this we first claim that $`d(x)`$, $`x\mathrm{\Omega }`$, is a concave function. Indeed, let $`0<\lambda <1`$, and $`x`$, $`y`$, $`z=\lambda x+(1\lambda )y`$ be three points contained in $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Let $`z_0\mathrm{\Omega }`$ be a point that realizes the distance for $`z`$, that is, $`d(z)=|zz_0|`$. We denote by $`T_{z_0}`$ the hyperplane that contains $`z_0`$ and is orthogonal to the vector $`zz_0`$. We also let $`x_0`$ and $`y_0`$ be the orthogonal projections of $`x`$ and $`y`$ onto $`T_{z_0}`$ respectively. It then follows by the convexity of $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ and a simple similarity argument that

$$d(z)=|zz_0|=\lambda |xx_0|+(1\lambda )|yy_0|\lambda d(x)+(1\lambda )d(y),$$

and the claim is proved. Since $`d(x)`$ is concave we conclude from Theorem 6.3.2 of \[EG\] that $`\mathrm{\Delta }d`$ is non-positive in the weak sense; more precisely there exists a non-negative Radon measure $`d\mu `$ on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ satisfying

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }\psi ddx=_\mathrm{\Omega }\psi 𝑑\mu ,\psi C_c^1(\mathrm{\Omega });$$
(2.1)
In particular, taking as test function $`\psi =\varphi d`$, we see that $`A[\varphi ]0`$, that is condition (C) is satisfied.

Let us now consider the intermediate cases $`2kN1`$.

Example 3. If $`K`$ is affine, $`K𝐑^{Nk}`$, then condition (C) is satisfied for all $`1<p<\mathrm{}`$ without any restriction on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$.
Indeed, changing coordinates if necessary, we see by a direct computation that

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_pd^{\frac{pk}{p1}}=0,x𝐑^NK.$$

Further, if $`p>k`$ and $`K`$ is the union of affine sets,

$$K=_{iI}K_i,$$

then (C) is also satisfied, again with no restriction on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. To see this consider the functions $`d_i(x)=\mathrm{dist}(x,K_i)`$, $`iI`$. We have seen that $`d_i^{(pk)/(p1)}`$ is $`p`$-harmonic. But

$$d^{\frac{pk}{p1}}(x)=\underset{iI}{inf}d_i^{\frac{pk}{p1}}(x),x\mathrm{\Omega }K$$

and hence $`d^{\frac{pk}{p1}}`$ is $`p`$-super-harmonic by the comparison principle for the $`p`$-Laplacian, see \[HKM\]. Alternatively, observing that

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_pd^{\frac{pk}{p1}}=\frac{pk}{p1}\left|\frac{pk}{p1}\right|^{p2}\frac{1}{2k}\mathrm{\Delta }d^{2k},$$

we may use the corresponding principle for the Laplacian. (When $`k=2`$ we replace $`\frac{1}{2k}\mathrm{\Delta }d^{2k}`$ by $`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{log}d`$.)

Definition Let $`E𝐑^N`$ be an affine set of codimension $`k1`$ and $`VE`$ be a convex domain (i.e. connected and open in the topology of $`E`$) and let $`K=_EV`$. The cylinder $`V\times E^{}`$ is called the inner canal of $`K`$; the cylinder $`(E\overline{V})\times E^{}`$ is called the outer canal of $`K`$. (See also \[S\])

Example 4. (i) If $`p>k`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is contained in the inner canal of $`K`$ then (C) is satisfied; (ii) If $`p<k`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is contained in the outer canal of $`K`$ then (C) is satisfied.
To see (i) let $`\{T_y|y_EV\}`$ be the family of hyperplanes in $`E`$ which are tangent to $`K`$ (if $`K`$ is not smooth we take the supporting hyperplanes instead). If $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is contained in the inner canal of $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ then

$$d(x)=\underset{y_EV}{inf}\mathrm{dist}(x,T_y),x\mathrm{\Omega }$$

and we are back in the situation of Example 3.
To prove (ii) we use a different argument. We write any $`x𝐑^N`$ as $`x=(y,z)`$ with $`yE𝐑^{Nk+1}`$ and $`z𝐑^{k1}`$; that is, the projection of $`x`$ onto $`E`$ is the point $`(y,0)`$. We then have

$$d^2(x)=\stackrel{~}{d}^2(y)+|z|^2,\stackrel{~}{d}(y)=\mathrm{dist}((y,0),K).$$
(2.2)
Differentiating twice with respect to $`z_i`$, $`i=1,2,\mathrm{},k1`$, and summing up over $`i`$ we obtain

$$|_zd|^2+d\mathrm{\Delta }_zd=k1.$$
(2.3)
Differentiating (2.2) with respect to $`y_i`$, $`i=1,2,\mathrm{},Nk+1`$, we obtain in a similar way

$$|_yd|^2+d\mathrm{\Delta }_yd=|_y\stackrel{~}{d}|^2+\stackrel{~}{d}\mathrm{\Delta }_y\stackrel{~}{d}=1+\stackrel{~}{d}\mathrm{\Delta }_y\stackrel{~}{d}.$$
(2.4)
Adding (2.3) and (2.4) we conclude that

$$d\mathrm{\Delta }d+(1k)|d|^2=\stackrel{~}{d}\mathrm{\Delta }_y\stackrel{~}{d}.$$

Since $`\stackrel{~}{d}`$ is the distance function in $`E𝐑^{Nk+1}`$ and $`VE`$ is a convex domain, we have, as in Example 2, that $`\mathrm{\Delta }_y\stackrel{~}{d}0`$ if $`yV^c`$. Hence (C) is satisfied in this case.
We point out that if a domain $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ satisfies $`\overline{\mathrm{\Omega }}K\mathrm{}`$ (so that $`d^1`$ is singular in $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$) then for it to be contained in either the inner or the outer canal of $`K`$ it is necessary that $`K\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{}`$.

Our fifth example combines ideas from the last two ones.

Example 5. Assume that $`p>k`$ and that $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is contained in the inner canal of $`L=V`$. Let $`K`$ be a polytope contained in $`V`$ and having its vertices on $`L`$. Then condition (C) is satisfied. To see this let $`F_i`$, $`i=1,\mathrm{},L`$, be the faces of $`K`$. Our assumption on $`K`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ imply that the distance of any $`x\mathrm{\Omega }`$ from a face $`F_i`$ is realized at a point $`yF_i`$ which is on the interior of $`F_i`$, that is, the distance is not realized at vertices, edges etc. Hence

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_pd^{\frac{pk}{p1}}=0,x\mathrm{\Omega }F_i,d_i(x)=\mathrm{dist}(x,F_i),$$

and the comparison argument of Example 3 goes through.

## 3 The Improved Hardy inequality

In this section we give a first proof of the improved Hardy inequality and also obtain some inequalities which will be of use in Section 6. We start with some elementary pointwise inequalities.

###### Lemma 3.1

For any $`1<p<\mathrm{}`$ there exists a constant $`c=c(p)>0`$ such that for all $`a,b𝐑^N`$ we have:

$`(\mathrm{i})`$ if $`1<p<2`$ then
$`|ab|^p|a|^pc{\displaystyle \frac{|b|^2}{(|a|+|b|)^{2p}}}p|a|^{p2}ab.`$
$`(\mathrm{ii})`$ if $`p2`$ then
$`(\mathrm{a})|ab|^p|a|^pc|a|^{p2}|b|^2p|a|^{p2}ab;`$
$`(\mathrm{b})|ab|^p|a|^pc|b|^pp|a|^{p2}ab;`$
Proof. Parts $`(\mathrm{i})`$ and $`(\mathrm{ii})`$(b) are contained in Lemma 4.2 of \[L\]. Hence, we only prove $`(\mathrm{ii})`$(a).

If $`|b|\frac{1}{2}|a|`$ the inequality follows from $`(\mathrm{ii})`$(b). Suppose now that $`|b|<\frac{1}{2}|a|`$; then $`|a\xi b|\frac{1}{2}|a|`$ for all $`\xi (0,1)`$. Hence, taking the Taylor expansion of $`f(t)=|abt|^p`$ around $`t=0`$ we have,

$`|ab|^p`$ $`=`$ $`|a|^pp|a|^{p2}ab+{\displaystyle \frac{p(p2)}{2}}|a\xi b|^{p4}((a\xi b)b)^2+`$
$`+p|a\xi b|^{p2}|b|^2\text{ (some }\xi (0,1)\text{)}`$
$``$ $`|a|^pp|a|^{p2}ab+{\displaystyle \frac{p}{2^{p2}}}|a|^{p2}|b|^2.`$
$`//`$

We next prove an auxiliary inequality that will be used in the sequel. Let us first recall that

$$X(s)=\frac{1}{\mathrm{log}s},s(0,1).$$

Note that if $`D>sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x)`$ then

$$0X(d(x)/D)M,x\mathrm{\Omega },$$

for a suitable positive constant $`M=M(D)`$. Furthermore, we shall often use the relation

$$\frac{d}{dr}X^\beta =\beta \frac{X^{\beta +1}}{r},$$
(3.1)
as well as its integral version

$$_{s_1}^{s_2}r^1X^{\beta +1}(r)𝑑r=\frac{1}{\beta }[X^\beta (s_2)X^\beta (s_1)].$$
(3.2)
We next prove the following

###### Lemma 3.2

Let $`D>sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)`$ and $`\alpha 1`$. Then

$$\left(\frac{|\alpha 1|}{p}\right)^p_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^kX^\alpha (d/D)𝑑x_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X^{\alpha p}(d/D)𝑑x$$

$$+\left(\frac{|\alpha 1|}{p}\right)^{p1}_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^k\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right|X^{\alpha 1}(d/D)𝑑x$$
(3.3)
for all $`vC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$.

Proof. We prove (3.3) for $`D=1`$, the general case following by scaling. Recalling (3.1) we have

$`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^kX^\alpha (d)𝑑x=`$
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\alpha 1}}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^{1k}dX^{\alpha 1}(d)𝑑x`$
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{p}{\alpha 1}}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^{p2}vX^{\alpha 1}(d)d^{1k}vddx`$
$`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\alpha 1}}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^k(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+(1k)|d|^2)X^{\alpha 1}(d)𝑑x`$
$``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{p}{|\alpha 1|}}\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^{pk}X^{\alpha p}(d)𝑑x\right)^{1/p}\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^kX^\alpha (d)𝑑x\right)^{(p1)/p}+`$
$`+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{|\alpha 1|}}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^k\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right|X^{\alpha 1}(d)𝑑x.`$
Hence we have an estimate of the form

$$B\theta B^{(p1)/p}\mathrm{\Gamma }^{1/p}+A,\theta =\frac{p}{|\alpha 1|}.$$

Combining this with the relation

$$B^{(p1)/p}\mathrm{\Gamma }^{1/p}\frac{ϵ(p1)}{p}B+\frac{ϵ^{(p1)}}{p}\mathrm{\Gamma },$$

and taking $`ϵ=\theta ^1`$ we obtain $`\theta ^pB\mathrm{\Gamma }+p\theta ^pA`$, which is the required inequality. //

Throughout the paper we will use the notation

$$I[u]=_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑x\left|\frac{pk}{p}\right|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}𝑑x,uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K).$$
(3.4)
Our starting point is the following lower estimate on $`I[u]`$:

###### Lemma 3.3

Let $`uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ be given and set $`v(x)=u(x)d^H(x)`$, $`H=(kp)/p`$. There exists a constant $`c=c(p)>0`$ such that:

$`(\mathrm{i})`$ if $`1<p<2`$ then (3.5)
$`I[u]c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}{\displaystyle \frac{|v|^2d^{2k}}{\left(|Hv|+|dv|\right)^{2p}}}𝑑x`$
$`+H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^k(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k)𝑑x;`$
$`(\mathrm{ii})`$ if $`2p<\mathrm{}`$ then (3.7)
$`(\mathrm{a})I[u]c|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^2|v|^{p2}d^{2k}𝑑x`$
$`+H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^k(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k)𝑑x;`$
$`(\mathrm{b})I[u]c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^{pk}𝑑x`$
$`+H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^k(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k)𝑑x;`$
Proof. It is straight forward to see that

$$|u|^p|H|^p\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}=d^k\left(\left|Hvddv\right|^p|Hv|^p\right);$$

to estimate the right hand side we use the corresponding inequalities of Lemma 3.1 with $`a=Hvd`$ and $`b=dv`$. The expression $`p_\mathrm{\Omega }d^k|a|^{p2}ab`$ appears in all three cases and is equal to $`H|H|^{p2}_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^k(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k)𝑑x`$ as can be seen by an integration by parts. The stated estimates then follow at once. $`//`$

It should be noted that if condition (C) is satisfied then the common term that appears in the right hand side of the three inequalities of the last lemma is equal to

$$|H|^{p1}_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^k\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right|𝑑x,$$

and, in particular, is non-negative.

We next prove the improved Hardy inequality for $`1<p<2`$.

###### Proposition 3.4

Let $`1<p<2`$. Given $`uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ we set $`v(x)=u(x)d^H(x)`$, $`H=(kp)/p`$. If condition (C) is satisfied then there exist constants $`c_i=c_i(p,k,D)>0`$, $`i=1,2`$ such that

$`I[u]`$ $``$ $`c_1\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^{pk}X^{2p}(d/D)𝑑x+{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^k\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right|𝑑x\right)`$ (3.8)
$``$ $`c_2{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}{\displaystyle \frac{|u|^p}{d^p}}X^2(d/D)𝑑x.`$
Proof: We may assume that $`D=1`$, the general case following by scaling. To simplify the subsequent calculations we set

$$A_1=_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|v|^2d^{2k}}{\left(|Hv|+|dv|\right)^{2p}}𝑑x,A_2=_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^kX^2(d/D)𝑑x$$

$$A_3=_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X^{2p}(d/D)𝑑x,A_4=_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^k|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k|𝑑x.$$

Note the all $`A_i`$’s are positive and homogeneous of degree $`p`$ in $`v`$. Hölder’s inequality and elementary estimates yield

$`A_3`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}{\displaystyle \frac{|v|^2d^{p(2k)/2}}{\left(|Hv|+|dv|\right)^{p(2p)/2}}}\left(|Hv|+|dv|\right)^{p(2p)/2}d^{k(2p)/2}X^{2p}𝑑x`$
$``$ $`A_1^{p/2}\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}\left(|Hv|+|dv|\right)^pd^kX^2𝑑x\right)^{(2p)/2}`$
$``$ $`c(p,k)A_1^{p/2}\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^kX^2𝑑x+{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^{pk}X^2𝑑x\right)^{(2p)/2}`$
$``$ $`c(p,k)A_1^{p/2}(A_2+A_3)^{(2p)/2},`$
that is

$$A_1c(p,k)\frac{A_3^{2/p}}{(A_2+A_3)^{(2p)/p}}.$$
(3.9)
It follows from Lemma 3.3(i) that

$$I[u]c(k,p)(A_1+A_4).$$
(3.10)
We also have from Lemma 3.2 (with $`\alpha =2`$),

$$A_2c(p,k)(A_3+A_4).$$
(3.11)
Combining (3.9), (3.10) and (3.11) we obtain

$`I[u]`$ $``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle \frac{A_3^{2/p}}{(A_2+A_3)^{(2p)/p}}}+A_4\right)`$
$``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle \frac{A_3^{2/p}}{(A_3+A_4)^{(2p)/p}}}+A_4\right)`$
$``$ $`c(A_3+A_4),`$
which is the first inequality in (3.8). Using once more (3.11) we have

$$I[u]c(A_3+A_4)cA_2=c_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^2𝑑x,$$

and the proof of (3.8) is complete.$`//`$

We now consider the complementary case $`p2`$.

###### Proposition 3.5

Let $`p2`$. Given $`uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ we set $`v(x)=u(x)d^H`$, $`H=(kp)/p`$. If condition (C) is satisfied then there exists a constant $`c=c(p,k,D)>0`$, such that

$$I[u]c_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^2(d/D)𝑑x.$$
(3.12)
Proof. We will use the additional change of variables $`w=|v|^{p/2}`$. It follows from Lemma 3.3(iia) that

$`I[u]`$ $``$ $`c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^2|v|^{p2}d^{2k}𝑑x+c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^k\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right|𝑑x`$
$``$ $`c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|w|^2d^{2k}𝑑x+c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|w|^2d^k\left|d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k\right|X(d/D)𝑑x`$
(by (3.3)) $``$ $`c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|w|^2d^kX^2(d/D)𝑑x`$
$`=`$ $`c{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}{\displaystyle \frac{|u|^p}{d^p}}X^2(d/D)𝑑x.`$
$`//`$

## 4 The vector field approach

In this section we provide an alternative proof of Improved Hardy Inequality, based on the appropriate use of a suitable vector field and elementary calculations. It is essential for this approach that all terms in the Improved Hardy inequality are homogeneous with respect to $`u`$. It has the advantage that it allows us to compute explicit constants for the remainder term. In contrast, it does not work for non-homogeneous inequalities. We retain the geometric assumptions introduced in Section 2. In the theorem that follows we consider the case $`pk`$, while Theorem 4.8 below concerns the degenerate case $`p=k`$. The optimality of the estimates is proved in Section 5.

Let us recall the Improved Hardy inequality, which we now write in the form

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑x|H|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}𝑑x+B_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^2(d/D)𝑑x.$$
(4.1)
We then have

###### Theorem 4.1

Assume that condition (C) is satisfied. Then, there exists a $`D_0=D_0(k,p)>0`$ such that for $`DD_0`$, inequality (4.1) holds true with

$$B=\frac{p1}{2p}|H|^{p2}.$$

If in addition $`2p<k`$, then we can take $`D_0=sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)`$.

Proof. Let $`T`$ be a $`C^1`$ vector field on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. For any $`uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ we integrate by parts and use Hölder’s inequality to obtain

$`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}\mathrm{div}T|u|^p𝑑x`$ $`=`$ $`p{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}(Tu)|u|^{p2}u𝑑x`$
$``$ $`p\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|u|^p𝑑x\right)^{\frac{1}{p}}\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|T|^{\frac{p}{p1}}|u|^p𝑑x\right)^{\frac{p1}{p}}`$
$``$ $`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|u|^p𝑑x+(p1){\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|T|^{\frac{p}{p1}}|u|^p𝑑x.`$
We therefore arrive at

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑x_\mathrm{\Omega }(\mathrm{div}T(p1)|T|^{\frac{p}{p1}})|u|^p𝑑x.$$
(4.2)
In view of this and (4.1), the Improved Hardy inequality will be proved once we establish the following pointwise inequality

$$\mathrm{div}T(p1)|T|^{\frac{p}{p1}}\frac{|H|^p}{d^p}\left(1+\frac{p1}{2pH^2}X^2(d/D)\right),x\mathrm{\Omega }.$$
(4.3)
To proceed we now make a specific choice of $`T`$. We take

$$T(x)=H|H|^{p2}\frac{d(x)}{d^{p1}(x)}(1+\frac{p1}{pH}X(d(x)/D)+aX^2(d(x)/D)).$$

where $`a`$ is a free parameter to be chosen later. In any case $`a`$ will be such that the quantity $`1+\frac{p1}{pH}X(d/D)+aX^2(d/D)`$ is positive on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Note that $`T(x)`$ is singular at $`xK`$, but since $`uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ all previous calculations are legitimate. A simple computation shows that

$`\mathrm{div}T`$ $`=`$ $`H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle \frac{d\mathrm{\Delta }d(p1)|d|^2}{d^p}}\left(1+{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}X+aX^2(d/D)\right)`$
$`+H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle \frac{|d|^2}{d^p}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}X^2(d/D)+2aX^3(d/D)\right)`$
$``$ $`H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle \frac{kp}{d^p}}\left(1+{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}X(d/D)+aX^2(d/D)\right)`$
$`+H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{d^p}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}X^2(d/D)+2aX^3(d/D)\right),`$
where in the last inequality we used (C) and the fact that $`|d|=1`$. Thus, we have

$`\mathrm{div}T(p1)|T|^{\frac{p}{p1}}`$
$``$ $`H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle \frac{(kp)(1+\frac{p1}{pH}X(d/D)+aX^2(d/D))}{d^p}}+`$
$`+H|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle \frac{(\frac{p1}{pH}X^2(d/D)+2aX^3(d/D))}{d^p}}`$
$`(p1)|H|^p{\displaystyle \frac{(1+\frac{p1}{pH}X(d/D)+aX^2(d/D))^{\frac{p}{p1}}}{d^p}}.`$
It then follows that for (4.3) to hold, it is enough to establish the inequality

$$f(t)1+\frac{p1}{2pH^2}t^2,t[0,M],$$
(4.4)
where $`M=M(D):=sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}X(d(x)/D)`$ and

$$f(t):=p(1+\frac{p1}{pH}t+at^2)+\frac{1}{H}(\frac{p1}{pH}t^2+2at^3)(p1)(1+\frac{p1}{pH}t+at^2)^{\frac{p}{p1}}.$$

From Taylor’s formula we have that

$$f(t)=f(0)+f^{}(0)t+\frac{1}{2}f^{\prime \prime }(\xi _t)t^2,0\xi _ttM.$$
(4.5)
We have $`f(0)=1`$. Moreover,

$`f^{}(t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{H}}+2apt+{\displaystyle \frac{2(p1)}{pH^2}}t+{\displaystyle \frac{6a}{H}}t^2`$
$`p(1+{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}t+at^2)^{\frac{1}{p1}}({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}+2at),`$
$`f^{\prime \prime }(t)`$ $`=`$ $`2ap+{\displaystyle \frac{2(p1)}{pH^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{12a}{H}}t2ap(1+{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}t+at^2)^{\frac{1}{p1}}`$
$`{\displaystyle \frac{p}{p1}}(1+{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}t+at^2)^{\frac{2p}{p1}}({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}+2at)^2,`$
$`f^{\prime \prime \prime }(t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{12a}{H}}{\displaystyle \frac{6ap}{p1}}(1+{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}t+at^2)^{\frac{2p}{p1}}({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}+2at)`$
$`{\displaystyle \frac{p(2p)}{(p1)^2}}(1+{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}t+at^2)^{\frac{32p}{p1}}({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH}}+2at)^3,`$
and in particular

$`f^{}(0)`$ $`=`$ $`0,`$
$`f^{\prime \prime }(0)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{p1}{pH^2}},`$ (4.7)
$`f^{\prime \prime \prime }(0)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{6a}{H}}{\displaystyle \frac{(2p)(p1)}{p^2H^3}}.`$
To proceed we distinguish various cases.

(a) $`1<p<2k`$. In this case $`H>0`$. We now choose $`a`$ so that $`f^{\prime \prime \prime }(0)>0`$, that is, $`a>\frac{2p}{6(p1)}>0`$. Hence $`f^{\prime \prime }`$ is an increasing function in some interval of the form $`(0,M_0)`$. Consequently, for $`t(0,M_0)`$

$$f^{\prime \prime }(\xi _t)f^{\prime \prime }(0)=\frac{p1}{pH^2}.$$

It then follows from (4.5)

$$f(t)1+\frac{p1}{2pH^2}t^2,t[0,M_0].$$

Hence (4.4) has been proved in this case.

(b) $`2p<k`$. We still have $`H>0`$. We now choose $`a=0`$. It is clear that $`f^{\prime \prime \prime }(0)>0`$. Moreover, we compute

$$f^{\prime \prime \prime }(t)=\frac{(p1)(p2)}{p^2H^3}(1+\frac{p1}{pH}t)^{\frac{32p}{p1}}>0,\mathrm{for}\mathrm{all}t>0.$$

We then repeat the argument of case (a), taking $`M_0=+\mathrm{}`$.

(c) $`k=1<p<2`$. We now have $`H<0`$. We then choose $`a`$ such that $`0<a<(2p)(p1)/(6p^2H^2)`$, so that $`f^{\prime \prime \prime }(0)>0`$ and the previous argument goes through.

(d) $`p2`$, $`p>k`$. Again $`H<0`$. We now take $`a<(2p)(p1)/(6p^2H^2)<0`$ and proceed as before.

It is clear that we can choose an $`M_0`$ (small enough) that works simultaneously in all cases, and at the same time $`(1+\frac{p1}{pH}X+aX^2)>0`$, for $`0<X<M_0`$. We can even estimate this $`M_0`$ using (4), if needed. Since $`X(d/D)=\mathrm{log}^1(d/D)`$ the condition $`XM_0`$ is equivalent to $`DD_0:=e^{1/M_0}sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x)`$. The proof of the theorem is now complete.$`//`$

Remark The assumption $`sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x)<+\mathrm{}`$ is only needed in order to obtain the Improved Hardy. For the plain Hardy inequality one can choose the vector field $`T(x)=H|H|^{p2}\frac{d(x)}{d^{p1}(x)}`$ in which case the boundedness of $`d(x)`$ is not required.

Clearly the usual Hardy inequality does not hold when $`p=k`$. In our next result we give a substitute for Hardy inequality in that case. The analogue of condition (C) is now

$$p=k,d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k0.(\mathrm{C}^{})$$

In Theorem 5.4 we shall prove that estimate (4.8) below is sharp. Our result reads

###### Theorem 4.2

Let $`p=k`$ and assume that $`d()`$ is bounded in $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. If $`(C^{})`$ is satisfied then for any $`Dsup_\mathrm{\Omega }d(x)`$ there holds

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑x\left(\frac{p1}{p}\right)^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^p(d/D)𝑑x,uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K).$$
(4.8)
Proof. We define the vector field

$$T(x)=\left(\frac{p1}{p}\right)^{p1}\frac{X^{p1}(d(x)/D)}{d^{p1}(x)}d(x),x\mathrm{\Omega },$$

and use inequality (4.2). We have

$`\mathrm{div}T`$ $`=`$ $`({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{p}})^{p1}d^pX^{p1}(d/D)\left((p1)X(d/D)p+1+d\mathrm{\Delta }d\right)`$
$``$ $`({\displaystyle \frac{p1}{p}})^{p1}(p1)d^pX^p(d/D),`$
and hence

$$\mathrm{div}T(p1)|T|^{\frac{p}{p1}}(\frac{p1}{p})^pd^pX^p(d/D),$$

which yields (4.8). $`//`$

## 5 Best constants for Improved Hardy

In this section we will prove the optimality of the constants appearing in the Improved Hardy Inequalities we derived in Section 4. This will be done by deriving optimal bounds for all constants appearing in improved Hardy inequalities of the type we consider in this work. More precisely, recalling that $`H=(kp)/p`$, we have the following:

###### Theorem 5.1

Let $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ be a domain in $`𝐑^N`$. $`(\mathrm{i})`$ If $`2kN1`$ then we take $`K`$ to be a piecewise smooth surface of codimension $`k`$ and assume $`K\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{}`$; $`(\mathrm{ii})`$ if $`k=N`$ then we take $`K=\{0\}\mathrm{\Omega }`$; $`(\mathrm{iii})`$ if $`k=1`$ then we take $`K=\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Suppose that for some constants $`A>0`$, $`B0`$ and $`\gamma >0`$, the following inequality holds true for all $`uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑xA_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}𝑑x+B_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^\gamma (d/D)𝑑x.$$
(5.1)
Then:

$`(\mathrm{i})`$ $`A|H|^p`$.

$`(\mathrm{ii})`$ If $`A=|H|^p`$, and $`B>0`$, then $`\gamma 2`$.

$`(\mathrm{iii})`$ If $`A=|H|^p`$ and $`\gamma =2`$, then $`B\frac{p1}{2p}|H|^{p2}`$.

To prove this theorem we will use a minimizing sequence for the Improved Hardy inequality. Without any loss of generality we may assume that $`0K\mathrm{\Omega }`$. All our analysis will be local, say, in a fixed ball of radius $`\delta `$ (denoted by $`B_\delta `$) centered at the origin, for some fixed small $`\delta `$. We next introduce the function

$$w_ϵ(x)=d^{H+ϵ}(x)X^\theta (d(x)/D),1/p<\theta <2/p,$$
(5.2)
where $`k=1,2,\mathrm{},N`$ and $`D=sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}\mathrm{dist}(x,K)`$, as usual. In order to localize it we also define a suitable non-negative test function $`\varphi C_c^2(B_\delta )`$, such that $`\varphi (x)=1`$ for $`xB_{\delta /2}`$. We then set

$$U_ϵ(x)=\varphi (x)w_ϵ(x),\mathrm{supp}U_ϵB_\delta .$$
(5.3)
The proof we present works for any $`k=1,2,\mathrm{},N`$. We note however that for $`k=N`$ (distance from a point) the subsequent calculations are substantially simplified, whereas for $`k=1`$ (distance from the boundary) one should replace $`B_\delta `$ by $`B_\delta \mathrm{\Omega }`$. This last change entails some minor modifications, the arguments otherwise being the same.

Throughout the rest of this Section we denote by $`C`$, $`c(p)`$ etc various positive constants, not necessarily the same in each occurrence, which may depend on $`\delta `$, $`p`$ or $`k`$ but are independent of $`ϵ`$.

We begin by presenting some lemmas that contain all technical estimates that we need for the proof of the theorem. For $`\beta 𝐑`$ and $`ϵ>0`$ small we define

$$J_\beta (ϵ)=_\mathrm{\Omega }\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}X^\beta (d/D)𝑑x.$$
(5.4)
###### Lemma 5.2

For $`ϵ`$ small there holds

$`(\mathrm{i})`$ $`cϵ^{1\beta }J_\beta (ϵ)Cϵ^{1\beta },\beta >1\text{;}`$
$`(\mathrm{ii})`$ $`J_\beta (ϵ)={\displaystyle \frac{pϵ}{\beta +1}}J_{\beta +1}(ϵ)+O_ϵ(1),\beta >1\text{;}`$
$`(\mathrm{iii})`$ $`J_\beta (ϵ)=O_ϵ(1),\beta <1\text{.}`$
Proof.  Since $`|d|=1`$ we have

$$J_\beta (ϵ)=_0^\delta _{d=r}\varphi ^pr^{k+ϵp}X^\beta (r/D)𝑑S𝑑r.$$

Hence using the fact $`0\varphi 1`$ and $`_{\{d=r\}B_\delta }𝑑S<cr^{k1}`$, we obtain

$`J_\beta (ϵ)c{\displaystyle _0^\delta }r^{1+ϵp}X^\beta (r/D)𝑑r.`$
Recalling (3.2) we see that for $`\beta <1`$ the integral above has a finite limit as $`ϵ0`$, hence (iii) follows. To show (i) we use the change of variables $`r=Ds^{1/ϵ}`$ to obtain that

$$J_\beta (ϵ)ϵ^{1\beta }D^{ϵp}_0^{(\delta /D)^ϵ}s^{p1}X^\beta (s)𝑑s,$$

and the upper estimate of (i) follows. For the lower estimate we use the fact that $`\varphi =1`$ for $`d\delta /2`$ and argue similarly.

To prove (ii) we recall (3.1) to write

$$(\beta +1)J_\beta (ϵ)=_\mathrm{\Omega }\varphi ^pd^{1k+ϵp}dX^{\beta 1}(d/D)𝑑x.$$

We now perform an integration by parts and note that no boundary terms appear. Indeed, if $`k=1`$ then the factor $`d^{1k+ϵp}=d^{ϵp}`$ guarantees that the integrand vanishes on $`K`$. If $`2kN`$ then we approximate $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ by $`\mathrm{\Omega }_\eta :=\{x\mathrm{\Omega }:d(x)>\eta \}`$, $`\eta >0`$ small. This yields the boundary term

$$_{d=\eta }\varphi ^pd^{1k+ϵp}X^{\beta 1}(d/D)d\stackrel{}{n}dS$$

which vanishes as $`\eta 0`$. Hence in any case we have

$`(\beta +1)J_\beta (ϵ)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}\mathrm{div}(\varphi ^pd^{1k+ϵp}d)X^{\beta 1}(d/D)𝑑x`$
$`=`$ $`p{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}\varphi ^{p1}d^{1k+ϵp}X^{\beta 1}(d/D)\varphi ddx+`$
$`+(1k+ϵp){\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}d^{k+ϵp}X^{\beta 1}(d/D)𝑑x+`$
$`+{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}\varphi ^pd^{1k+ϵ}\mathrm{\Delta }𝑑X^{\beta 1}(d/D)𝑑x.`$
The first integral is of order $`O_ϵ(1)`$ by an application of (i). The other two integrals combine to give

$$ϵpJ_{\beta +1}(ϵ)+_\mathrm{\Omega }\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}X^{\beta 1}(d/D)(d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k)𝑑x.$$
(5.5)
But it is a direct consequence of \[AS, Theorem 3.2\] that

$$d\mathrm{\Delta }d+1k=O(d)\mathrm{as}d(x)0;$$
(5.6)
this implies that the integral in (5.5) is of order $`O_ϵ(1)`$, and the result follows. $`//`$

We next estimate the quantity

$$I[U_ϵ]=_\mathrm{\Omega }|U_ϵ|^p𝑑x|H|^p_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|U_ϵ|^p}{d^p}𝑑x.$$

###### Lemma 5.3

As $`ϵ0`$, there holds

$`(\mathrm{i})`$ $`I[U_ϵ]{\displaystyle \frac{\theta (p1)}{2}}|H|^{p2}J_{p\theta 2}(ϵ)+O_ϵ(1);`$ (5.7)
$`(\mathrm{ii})`$ $`{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}|U_ϵ|^p𝑑x|H|^pJ_{p\theta }(ϵ)+O_ϵ(ϵ^{1p\theta }).`$ (5.8)
Proof. We have $`U_ϵ=\varphi w_ϵ+\varphi w_ϵ`$ and hence, using the elementary inequality

$$|a+b|^p|a|^p+c_p(|a|^{p1}|b|+|b|^p),a,b𝐑^N,p>1,$$
(5.9)
we obtain

$`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|U_ϵ|^p𝑑x`$ $``$ $`{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)\left|H(ϵ\theta X(d/D))\right|^p𝑑x`$ (5.10)
$`+c_p{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}|\varphi ||\varphi |^{p1}|w_ϵ|^{p1}|w_ϵ|𝑑x+c_p{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}|\varphi |^p|w_ϵ|^p𝑑x`$
$`:=`$ $`I_A+I_2+I_3.`$
We claim that

$$I_2,I_3=O_ϵ(1),\mathrm{as}ϵ0.$$
(5.11)
Let us give the proof for $`I_2`$. Using the definition of $`w_ϵ`$ and the fact that $`\varphi `$ is a nice function we get

$$I_2c_{B_\delta }d^{1k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)\left|H(ϵ\theta X(d/D))\right|^{p1}𝑑x.$$

Since $`(ϵ\theta X(d/D))`$ is small compared to $`H`$ we have

$$I_2c_{B_\delta }d^{1k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)𝑑x.$$

The integral in the right hand side has a finite limit as $`ϵ0`$ by (i) of Lemma 5.2. The integral $`I_3`$ is treated in the same way.

From (5.10), (5.11) and the definition of $`J_\beta `$ we easily obtain

$`I[U_ϵ]`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}|U_ϵ|^p𝑑x|H|^pJ_{p\theta }`$
$``$ $`I_A|H|^pJ_{p\theta }+O_ϵ(1)`$
$`=`$ $`I_1+O_ϵ(1),`$
where

$$I_1:=_{B_\delta }\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)\left(\left|H\left(ϵ\theta X(d/D)\right)\right|^p|H|^p\right)𝑑x.$$

We proceed by estimating $`I_1`$. Since $`\eta :=(ϵ\theta X(d/D))`$ is small compared to $`H`$ we may use Taylor’s expansion to obtain

$$|H\eta |^p|H|^pp|H|^{p2}H\eta +\frac{1}{2}p(p1)|H|^{p2}\eta ^2+C|\eta |^3.$$

Using this inequality we can bound $`I_1`$ by

$$I_1I_{11}+I_{12}+I_{13},$$
(5.13)
where

$`I_{11}`$ $`=`$ $`p|H|^{p2}H{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)(ϵ\theta X(d/D))𝑑x,`$
$`I_{12}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}p(p1)|H|^{p2}{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)\left(ϵ\theta X(d/D)\right)^2𝑑x,`$
$`I_{13}`$ $`=`$ $`C{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)|ϵ\theta X(d/D)|^3𝑑x.`$
We shall prove that

$$I_{11},I_{13}=O_ϵ(1),ϵ0.$$
(5.14)
Indeed, an application of part (ii) of Lemma 5.2 (with $`\beta =1+p\theta `$) gives $`I_{11}=O_ϵ(1)`$ for small $`ϵ>0`$. Concerning $`I_{13}`$ we clearly have

$$I_{13}cϵ^3J_{p\theta }+cJ_{p\theta 3}.$$

It follows from Lemma 5.2 parts (i) and (iii), and the fact that $`1<p\theta <2`$ that $`I_{13}=O_ϵ(1)`$.

To calculate the term $`I_{12}`$ we first expand the square in the integrand and then apply (ii) of Lemma 5.2 twice (with $`\beta =1+p\theta `$ the first time and $`\beta =2+p\theta >1`$ the second time) to conclude that

$$I_{12}=\frac{\theta (p1)}{2}|H|^{p2}_{B_\delta }\varphi ^pd^{k+ϵp}(\mathrm{log}d/D)^{p\theta 2}𝑑x+O_ϵ(1),ϵ0.$$
(5.15)
From (5), (5.13), (5.14) and (5.15) we conclude (5.7). The second inequality of the lemma follows from the first equality in (5), estimate (5.7) and Lemma 5.2 $`//`$

We are now ready to give the proof of Theorem 5.1

Proof of Theorem 5.1. It follows directly from part (i) of Lemma 5.2 that for any $`\gamma 𝐑`$ there holds

$$R_\gamma [U_ϵ]:=_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|U_ϵ|^p}{d^p}X^\gamma (d/D)𝑑x=J_{p\theta \gamma }(ϵ).$$
(5.16)
(i) Since inequality (5.1) holds for every $`uW_0^p(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$ we have

$`A`$ $``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{_{B_\delta }|U_ϵ|^p𝑑x}{R_0[U_ϵ]}}`$
(by (5.8)) $``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{|H|^p(1+O_ϵ(ϵ))J_{p\theta }(ϵ)+O_ϵ(1)}{J_{p\theta }(ϵ)}};`$
letting $`ϵ0`$ and recalling that $`J_{p\theta }(ϵ)\mathrm{}`$ we conclude that $`A|H|^p`$.

(ii) Let $`A=|H|^p`$. Assuming that $`\gamma <2`$ we will reach a contradiction. Since $`p\theta \gamma >1`$ arguing as in (i) we have that

$`0<B`$ $``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{I[U_ϵ]}{R_\gamma [U_ϵ]}}`$
(by (5.7) and Lemma 5.2 (i) ) $``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{cϵ^{p\theta +1}}{cϵ^{1p\theta +\gamma }}}`$
$`=`$ $`cϵ^{2\gamma }0,\text{as }ϵ0\text{,}`$
which is a contradiction. Hence $`\gamma 2`$.

(iii) If $`A=|H|^p`$ and $`\gamma =2`$ then

$`B`$ $``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{I[U_ϵ]}{R_2[U_ϵ]}}`$
(by (5.7)) $``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\frac{1}{2}\theta (p1)|H|^{p2}J_{p\theta 2}(ϵ)+O_ϵ(1)}{J_{p\theta 2}}}.`$
The assumption $`\theta >1/p`$ implies $`J_{p\theta }\mathrm{}`$ as $`ϵ0`$ by (i) of Lemma 5.2. Hence $`B\frac{\theta (p1)}{2}|H|^{p2}`$; letting $`\theta 1/p`$ concludes the proof.$`//`$

We close this section proving the optimality of the estimate in Theorem 4.8.

###### Theorem 5.4

Let $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ be a domain in $`𝐑^N`$. $`(\mathrm{i})`$ If $`2kN1`$ then we take $`K`$ to be a piecewise smooth surface of codimension $`k`$ and assume $`K\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{}`$; $`(\mathrm{ii})`$ if $`k=N`$ then we take $`K=\{0\}\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Suppose that $`p=k`$ and that for some constants $`B0`$ and $`\gamma >0`$ the following inequality holds true for all $`uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^p𝑑xB_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^\gamma (d/D)𝑑x.$$
(5.17)
We then have:

$`(\mathrm{i})`$ If $`B>0`$, then $`\gamma p`$.

$`(\mathrm{ii})`$ If $`\gamma =p`$, then $`B\left(\frac{p1}{p}\right)^p`$.

Proof. The proof uses an argument similar to that of Theorem 5.1. Without any loss of generality we assume that $`0K\mathrm{\Omega }`$ if $`2kN`$ and $`0\mathrm{\Omega }=K`$ if $`k=1`$. As in the last theorem we let $`\varphi `$ be a non-negative, smooth cut-off function supported in $`B_\delta =\{|x|<\delta \}`$ and equal to one on $`B_{\delta /2}`$. For any $`ϵ>0`$ and $`\theta >(p1)/p`$ define $`w_ϵ=d^ϵ(\mathrm{log}d)^\theta `$ and $`U_ϵ=\varphi d^ϵ(\mathrm{log}d)^\theta `$. Using (5.9) we have

$`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|U_ϵ|^p𝑑x`$ $``$ $`{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}\varphi ^p|w_ϵ|^p𝑑x+c_p{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}\varphi ^{p1}|w_ϵ|^{p1}w_ϵ|\varphi |𝑑x+c_p{\displaystyle _{B_\delta }}w_ϵ^p|\varphi |^p`$
$`=:`$ $`I_A+I_2+I_3.`$
Arguing as in the proof of the previous theorem we see that

$$I_2,I_3=O_ϵ(1),ϵ0.$$

Denoting by $`c_i^p`$ the coefficients of the binomial expansion we have

$`|w_ϵ|^p`$ $`=`$ $`d^{k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D)|ϵ\theta X(d/D)|^p`$
$``$ $`d^{k+ϵp}\theta X^{p\theta }(d/D)(ϵ+\theta X(d/D))^p`$
$`=`$ $`d^{k+ϵp}X^{p\theta }(d/D){\displaystyle \underset{i=0}{\overset{p}{}}}c_i^pϵ^{pi}\theta ^iX^i(d/D),`$
and hence

$$I_A\underset{i=0}{\overset{p}{}}c_i^pϵ^{pi}\theta ^iJ_{p\theta i}(ϵ),$$

where the functions $`J_\beta (ϵ)=_\mathrm{\Omega }\varphi ^pd^{p+ϵp}X^\beta (d/D)`$ are as in (5.4). Now it follows from (ii) of Lemma 5.2 and a simple induction argument that

$$ϵ^{pi}J_{p\theta i}=(\theta \frac{i}{p})(\theta \frac{i+1}{p})\mathrm{}(\theta \frac{p1}{p})J_{p\theta p}+O_ϵ(1),i=0,\mathrm{},p1.$$

But the fact that $`\theta >(p1)/p`$ implies that $`J_{p\theta p}(ϵ)+\mathrm{}`$ as $`ϵ0`$, by (i) of Lemma 5.2. It follows that

$`B`$ $``$ $`\underset{ϵ0}{lim\; sup}{\displaystyle \frac{_\mathrm{\Omega }|U_ϵ|^p𝑑x}{_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{U_ϵ^p}{d^p}X^p(d/D)𝑑x}}`$
$``$ $`\underset{ϵ0}{lim\; sup}{\displaystyle \frac{\left(\theta ^p_{i=0}^{p1}c_i^p\theta ^i(\theta \frac{i}{p})\mathrm{}(\theta \frac{p1}{p})\right)J_{p\theta p}(ϵ)+O_ϵ(1)}{J_{p\theta p}(ϵ)}}`$
$`=`$ $`\theta ^p+{\displaystyle \underset{i=0}{\overset{p1}{}}}c_i^p\theta ^i(\theta {\displaystyle \frac{i}{p}})\mathrm{}(\theta {\displaystyle \frac{p1}{p}})`$
This last expression converges to $`(\frac{p1}{p})^p`$ as $`\theta (p1)/p`$ ; this completes the proof.$`//`$

## 6 Non-homogeneous Improved Hardy inequalities

As an application of the results in Section 3 we first prove Theorem B, the improved Hardy-Poincaré inequality.

Proof of Theorem B. We shall prove that

$$I[u]c\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^qd^{k(1+q/p)}X^\beta (d/D)𝑑x\right)^{p/q},uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K).$$
(6.1)
Letting $`v=ud^{(kp)/p}`$ we have

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^qd^{k(1+q/p)}X^\beta 𝑑xc(q,k)\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^qd^{qk}X^\beta 𝑑x+_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^qd^kX^\beta 𝑑x\right).$$
(6.2)
To proceed we will estimate the two integrals in the right hand side of (6.2).

We first consider the case $`1<p<2`$. Applying Hölder’s inequality we obtain

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^qd^{qk}X^\beta 𝑑x\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X^{2p}𝑑x\right)^{q/p}\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }d^kX^\theta 𝑑x\right)^{(pq)/p},$$

with $`\theta =(\beta p2q+qp)/(pq)`$. We next show that the last integral above is finite. The integrand has a singularity as $`d0`$. However for $`d`$ near zero the integral behaves like

$$_0^ϵ_{d=t}\frac{d^kX^\theta }{|d|}𝑑S𝑑tc_0^ϵ_{d=t}d^kX^\theta 𝑑S𝑑tc_0^ϵt^1X^\theta (t)𝑑t.$$

The last integral is finite iff $`\theta >1`$ (cf (3.2)), a condition that is easily seen to be satisfied under our assumptions on $`p`$, $`q`$, $`\beta `$. Hence we end up with

$$\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^qd^{qk}X^\beta 𝑑x\right)^{p/q}c_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X^{2p}𝑑xcI[u],$$
(6.3)
where in the last inequality we used (3.8). Applying in a similar fashion Hölder’s inequality and then the Improved Hardy inequality (3.8), we estimate the last integral in (6.2)

$$\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^qd^kX^\beta 𝑑x\right)^{p/q}c_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^kX^2𝑑x=_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^k}X^2𝑑xcI[u]$$
(6.4)
and (6.1) follows.

Consider now the case $`p2`$. The proof is quite similar. In particular estimate (6.4) remains valid, whereas the analogue of (6.3) is

$$\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^qd^{qk}X^\beta 𝑑x\right)^{p/q}c_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}𝑑xcI[u],$$

where in the last inequality we used (3.7) and condition (C). The proof of (6.1) is now complete.

To prove the sharpness of the estimate we consider the functions $`U_ϵ`$ of Section 5 (see (5.3)). We have already seen that they satisfy $`I[U_ϵ]cϵ^{1p\theta }`$. Moreover, simple calculations show that for $`\beta >0`$ we have

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|U_ϵ|^qd^{k(1+q/p)}X^\beta (d/D)𝑑xcϵ^{\beta \theta q1},$$

for all $`ϵ>0`$ small enough. Hence (6.1) cannot be true if $`\beta <1+q/p`$.$`//`$

We now turn our attention to improved Hardy-Sobolev inequalities. By this we mean lower estimates on $`I[u]`$ in terms of weighted $`L^q`$ norms of the function $`u`$, $`q>p`$. It will be seen that a there is a difference in the form the estimates take, depending on whether $`k=N`$ or $`k<N`$. We first consider the case of affine $`K`$, $`K𝐑^{Nk}`$, and take $`\mathrm{\Omega }=𝐑^N`$. More precisely, we write points in $`𝐑^N`$ as $`x=(y,z)`$, $`y𝐑^{Nk}`$, $`z𝐑^k`$. Under this representation we take

$$K=\{(y,0)|y𝐑^{Nk}\}$$

so that $`d(y,z)=|z|`$.

Our next two propositions yield Theorem C.

###### Proposition 6.1

Assume that $`k<N`$ and that condition (C) is satisfied. Then for any $`2p<N`$ and any $`p<qNp/(Np)`$ there exists $`c>0`$ such that

$$I[u]c\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^q|z|^{qN+Nq/p}𝑑x\right)^{p/q},uW_0^{1,p}(𝐑^NK).$$
(6.5)
Proof. Let $`v(y,z)=u(y,z)|z|^{(kp)/p}`$. It follows from (3.7) and condition (C) that

$$I[u]c_{𝐑^N}|v|^p|z|^{pk}𝑑z𝑑y.$$

Moreover, Corollary 2 Section 2.1.6 of \[M\] gives

$$_{𝐑^N}|v|^p|z|^{pk}𝑑z𝑑yc\left(_{𝐑^N}|v|^q|z|^{N+(Nk)q/p}𝑑z𝑑y\right)^{p/q},vC_c^{\mathrm{}}(𝐑^NK).$$
(6.6)
Combining the last two inequalities we obtain (6.5).$`//`$

Estimate (6.6) is not valid when $`k=N`$ and $`K`$ reduces to the single point $`0\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Indeed, it is remarkable that (6.5) fails in this case. In our next proposition we use decreasing rearrangement techniques to obtain a modified version of Proposition 6.5 which involves a logarithmic correction $`X^{1+q/p}`$ in the right hand side; we then show that the exponent $`1+q/p`$ is optimal.

###### Proposition 6.2

Let $`1<p<N`$. Let $`\mathrm{\Omega }𝐑^N`$ be bounded containing the origin and $`D>sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x)`$. For any $`p<q<Np/(Np)`$. there exists $`c=c(p,q,N,\mathrm{\Omega })>0`$ such that

$$I[u]c\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^q|x|^{qN+Nq/p}X^{1+q/p}(|x|/D)𝑑x\right)^{p/q},uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }).$$
(6.7)
Moreover one cannot replace $`X^{1+q/p}`$ by a lower power of $`X`$.

Proof. We may assume that $`D=1`$. Let $`uC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega })`$ be given and let $`u^{}`$ denote its radially symmetric decreasing rearrangement on the ball $`\mathrm{\Omega }^{}`$ having the same volume as $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ and centered at the origin. It is a standard property of decreasing rearrangements that

$$I[u]I[u^{}].$$

Define

$$f(r)=r^{qN+Nq/p}X^{1+q/p}(r);$$

and note that this decreases near $`r=0`$. Let $`f^{}:\mathrm{\Omega }^{}[0,\mathrm{})`$ be the symmetric decreasing rearrangement of $`f(||):\mathrm{\Omega }[0,\mathrm{})`$. Using Lemma 4.1 of \[FT\] one sees that $`f^{}(r)f(r)`$, near $`r=0`$. Hence, using also the standard relations $`_\mathrm{\Omega }fg_\mathrm{\Omega }^{}f^{}g^{}`$ ($`f,g0`$), and $`(|u|^q)^{}=|u^{}|^q`$, we conclude that it is enough to establish (6.7) in the case where $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is the unit ball and $`u=u(r)`$ is a radially symmetric decreasing function of $`r=|x|`$.

Assume first that $`1<p<2`$ and set $`v(r)=u(r)r^{(Np)/p}`$. Using first (3.8) (with $`d=r`$, $`k=N`$) and then Lemma 7.1 (with $`\alpha =2p`$) we have

$`I[u]`$ $``$ $`c{\displaystyle _0^1}|v^{}|^pr^{p1}X^{2p}𝑑r`$
$``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _0^1}|v|^qr^1X^{1+q/p}𝑑r\right)^{p/q}`$
$`=`$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _0^1}|u|^qr^{q1+Nq/p}X^{1+q/p}𝑑r\right)^{p/q}`$
$`=`$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|u|^q|x|^{qN+Nq/p}X^{1+q/p}(|x|)𝑑x\right)^{p/q}.`$
Suppose now that $`p2`$. Let $`w=|v|^{p/2}`$ with $`v`$ as above. Using first (3.7) – with $`d=r`$, $`k=N`$ – and then Lemma 7.1 (see Appendix) – with $`\alpha =0`$ and $`2q/p`$ in the place of $`q`$ – we have

$`I[u]`$ $``$ $`c{\displaystyle _0^1}|v^{}|^2|v|^{p2}r𝑑r`$
$`=`$ $`c{\displaystyle _0^1}|w^{}|^2r𝑑r`$
$``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _0^1}|w|^{2q/p}r^1X^{1+q/p}𝑑r\right)^{p/q}`$
$`=`$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|u|^q|x|^{qN+Nq/p}X^{1+q/p}(|x|)𝑑x\right)^{p/q}.`$
as required.

To prove that the exponent $`1+q/p`$ is optimal we consider once again the functions $`U_ϵ`$ of Section 5, $`U_ϵ(x)=\varphi (x)|x|^{ϵ(Np)/p}X^\theta (|x|/D)`$, $`ϵ>0`$, $`\theta >1/p`$, $`\varphi `$ a cut-off. An argument similar to that used in Section 5 shows the optimality of the exponent $`1+q/p`$. We omit the details. $`//`$

Given that the estimate $`I[u]cu_{L^{Np/(Np)}}^p`$ is not valid, one may ask whether the next best thing is true, i.e. whether

$$I[u]cu_{L^{Np/(Np),\mathrm{}}},uW^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }),$$

where in the right hand side we have the weak $`L^{Np/(Np)}`$ norm of $`u`$,

$$u_{L^{q,\mathrm{}}}=\underset{E\mathrm{\Omega }}{sup}|E|^{\frac{1}{q}1}_E|u|𝑑x,1<q<\mathrm{}.$$

This question was risen in a different context in \[BL\] where Improved Sobolev Inequalities are considered. In that paper the authors obtain lower estimates on

$$J[u]:=_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^2𝑑xc_{}\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^{2N/(N2)}𝑑x\right)^{(N2)/N},uW_0^{1,2}(\mathrm{\Omega }),$$

$`c_{}`$ being the best Sobolev constant. It is shown in \[BL\] that $`J[u]cu_q^2`$, $`c>0`$, when $`q<N/(N2)`$. This of course fails for the critical value $`q=N/(N2)`$, but it is shown instead that

$$J[u]cu_{L^{N/(N2),\mathrm{}}},uW_0^{1,2}(\mathrm{\Omega }).$$

In our case there is no room even for such a weak norm as the following proposition shows.

###### Proposition 6.3

There exists no $`c>0`$ such that

$$I[u]cu_{L^{\frac{Np}{Np},\mathrm{}}},uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }).$$
(6.8)
Proof. Let $`U_ϵ`$ be the functions introduced in Section 5 and assume that $`1/(p1)<\theta <1/p`$. We claim that

$$U_ϵ_{\frac{Np}{Np},\mathrm{}(B_1)}cϵ^\theta ,\text{ small }ϵ>0\text{.}$$
(6.9)
Let $`B_\rho `$ denote the ball of radius $`\rho `$ centered at the origin. We then have that

$$U_ϵ_{L^{\frac{Np}{Np},\mathrm{}}(B_1)}\underset{0<\rho <1}{sup}|B_\rho |^{\frac{NpN+p}{Np}}_{B_\rho }|u_ϵ|𝑑x$$

It is immediate that $`|B_\rho |=C\rho ^{\frac{NpN+p}{p}}`$. On the other hand using the explicit value of $`u_ϵ`$ and integrating once by parts we get

$`{\displaystyle _{B_\rho }}|U_ϵ|𝑑x`$ $`=`$ $`C{\displaystyle _0^\rho }r^{N\frac{N}{p}+ϵ}(\mathrm{log}r)^\theta 𝑑r`$
$`=`$ $`C(\rho ^{N\frac{N}{p}+ϵ+1}(\mathrm{log}r)^\theta +{\displaystyle _0^\rho }r^{N\frac{N}{p}+ϵ}(\mathrm{log}r)^{\theta 1}𝑑r)`$
$``$ $`C\rho ^{N\frac{N}{p}+ϵ+1}(\mathrm{log}r)^\theta .`$
Hence, we arrive at

$$U_ϵ_{L^{\frac{Np}{Np},\mathrm{}}(B_1)}C\underset{0<\rho <1}{sup}\rho ^ϵ(\mathrm{log}\rho )^\theta .$$

It is easy to check that $`\mathrm{max}_{0<\rho <1}\rho ^ϵ(\mathrm{log}\rho )^\theta =(\theta /e)^\theta ϵ^\theta `$ and (6.9) follows.

On the other hand, we have seen in Section 5 that for small $`ϵ`$

$$I[U_ϵ]cϵ^{1p\theta }.$$
(6.10)
Combining (6.9) and (6.10) we obtain the stated result.$`//`$

We close this section presenting an improved Hardy-Sobolev inequality that is valid for all $`kN`$ without assuming that $`K`$ is affine. The estimate obtained is weaker than that of Theorem C.

###### Theorem 6.4

Let $`kN`$ and $`1<p<N`$. Let $`D>sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)`$, and assume condition (C) is satisfied. For any $`p<qNp/(Np)`$ there exists $`c=c(p,q,D,\mathrm{\Omega },K)>0`$ such that

$$I[u]c\left(_\mathrm{\Omega }|u|^qd^{qN+Nq/p}X^{2q/p}(d/D)𝑑x\right)^{p/q},$$
(6.11)
for all $`uW_0^{1,p}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$.

Proof: We may assume as usual that $`D=1`$. Once more we set $`u=vd^H`$, $`H=(kp)/p`$. From Lemma 7.2 (see Appendix) we have

$`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|u|^qd^{qN+Nq/p}X^{2q/p}𝑑x=`$ (6.12)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^qd^{N+(Nk)q/p}X^{2q/p}𝑑x`$
$``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^{pk}X^2𝑑x+{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^kX^2𝑑x\right)^{q/p}.`$
The last integral in (3.9) is easily estimated by the Improved Hardy inequality

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^kX^2𝑑x=_\mathrm{\Omega }\frac{|u|^p}{d^p}X^2𝑑xcI[u].$$
(6.13)
To estimate the other integral, suppose first that $`1<p<2`$. Using the fact that $`X^2cX^{2p}`$ and (3.8) we have

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X^2𝑑xc_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X^{2p}𝑑xcI[u],$$
(6.14)
and (6.11) follows from (6.12), (6.13), (6.14).

Consider now the case $`p2`$. Using the fact that $`X1`$ and (3.7) we obtain in a similar fashion

$$_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X^2𝑑x_\mathrm{\Omega }|v|^pd^{pk}X𝑑xcI[u],$$
(6.15)
and (6.11) follows from (6.12), (6.13), (6.15).$`//`$

## 7 Appendix

Here we present the two auxiliary lemmas that were used in Section 6. The first one is a one-dimensional Hardy type inequality.

###### Lemma 7.1

Let $`p(1,\mathrm{})`$ and $`qp`$ be given. For any $`\alpha >(p1)`$ there exists $`c>0`$ such that

$$_0^1|v^{}|^pr^{p1}X^\alpha 𝑑rc\left(_0^1|v|^qr^1X^{1+(\alpha +p1)q/p}𝑑r\right)^{p/q},$$
(7.16)
for all $`vC_c^{\mathrm{}}(0,1)`$.

Proof. Apply \[M, Theorem 3, p. 44\] with $`d\mu =r^1X^{1+(\alpha +p1)q/p}\chi _{[0,1]}dr`$ and $`d\nu =r^{p1}X^\alpha \chi _{[0,1]}dr`$. $`//`$

The second lemma is a weighted Sobolev inequality.

###### Lemma 7.2

Let $`D>sup_{x\mathrm{\Omega }}d(x,K)`$. Given $`1<p<N`$, $`p<qNp/(Np)`$ and $`a𝐑`$ there exists $`c=C(p,q,D,\mathrm{\Omega })>0`$ such that for all $`vC_c^{\mathrm{}}(\mathrm{\Omega }K)`$

$`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^qd^{N+(Nk)q/p}X^{\alpha q/p}(d/D)𝑑x`$ (7.17)
$``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^{pk}X^\alpha (d/D)𝑑x+{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd^kX^\alpha (d/D)𝑑x\right)^{q/p}.`$
When $`d`$ is the distance from the boundary $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ (that is $`k=1`$), the above result is given in \[OK\]; see Example 18.16 in p. 264 there. Since for the general case we have not found a reference, we present a proof.

Proof. Once again it suffices to consider the case $`D=1`$, the general case following by scaling. We shall make use of the standard Sobolev inequality

$$_{B(r)}|v|^q𝑑xcr^{N+qNq/p}\left(r^p_{B(r)}|v|^p𝑑x+_{B(r)}|v|^p𝑑x\right)^{q/p},vW^{1,p}(B(r)),$$
(7.18)
where $`B(r)`$ is any ball of radius $`r`$ and the constant is independent of $`r`$. Now, it follows from the Besicovich covering lemma (see \[M\]) that there exists a sequence $`(x_m)`$ of points in $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ with the following properties: defining, say, $`r_m=d(x_m)/10`$, the balls

$$B_m:=B(x_m,r_m),m=1,2,\mathrm{}$$

satisfy

$`(\mathrm{i})`$ $`\mathrm{\Omega }_mB_m;`$
$`(\mathrm{ii})`$ there exists a number $`M`$ depending only on the dimension $`N`$
such that each $`x\mathrm{\Omega }`$ belongs to at most $`M`$ of the $`B_m`$’s.
It follows from the choice of the radii $`r_m`$ that there exist constants $`c_i,c_i^{}`$ such that

$$\{\begin{array}{cc}c_1r_md(x)c_2r_m,\hfill & \\ c_1^{}X(r_m)X(d(x))c_2^{}X(r_m),\hfill & \end{array}xB(x_m,r_m),m=1,2,\mathrm{}.$$
(7.19)
This implies in particular that for any fixed $`\theta ,\eta 𝐑`$ we have

$$c_1^{\prime \prime }r_m^\theta X^\eta (r_m)_{B_m}|u|^p𝑑x_{B_m}|u|^pd^\theta X^\eta (d)𝑑xc_2^{\prime \prime }r_m^\theta X^\eta (r_m)_{B_m}|u|^p𝑑x,$$

for all $`m=1,2,\mathrm{}`$ and $`uW^{1,p}(B_m)`$. Hence

$`{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^qd^{N+(Nk)q/p}X^{\alpha q/p}(d)𝑑x`$
$``$ $`{\displaystyle \underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^qd^{N+(Nk)q/p}X^{\alpha q/p}(d)𝑑x`$
$``$ $`c{\displaystyle \underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}r_m^{N+(Nk)q/p}X^{\alpha q/p}(r_m){\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^q𝑑x`$
$``$ $`c{\displaystyle \underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}\left({\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^pr_m^{pk}X^\alpha (r_m)𝑑x+{\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^pr_m^kX^\alpha (r_m)𝑑x\right)^{q/p}`$
$``$ $`c{\displaystyle \underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}\left({\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^pd(x)^{pk}X^\alpha (d(x))𝑑x+{\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^pd(x)^kX^\alpha (d(x))𝑑x\right)^{q/p}`$
$``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle \underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^pd(x)^{pk}X^\alpha (d(x))𝑑x+{\displaystyle \underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle _{B_m}}|v|^pd(x)^kX^\alpha (d(x))𝑑x\right)^{q/p}`$
$``$ $`c\left({\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd(x)^{pk}X^\alpha (d(x))𝑑x+{\displaystyle _\mathrm{\Omega }}|v|^pd(x)^kX^\alpha (d(x))𝑑x\right)^{q/p},`$
since by (ii) we have $`_m_{B_m}fM_\mathrm{\Omega }f`$ for any non-negative function $`f`$ on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$.$`//`$