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Navier–Stokes Existence and Smoothness

open

· mathematical physics / PDE · $1M Clay Millennium Prize

The problem

In three space dimensions, given smooth initial data for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with periodic boundary conditions (or suitable decay), prove that smooth solutions exist for all time — or produce a singularity forming in finite time.

History & significance

The Clay Millennium formulation (Fefferman, 2000) crystallised a question implicit since the 19th century. Two-dimensional smoothness is classical (Ladyzhenskaya); in 3D, weak global solutions exist (Leray/Hopf) but their uniqueness and regularity are open. Blow-up candidates (Kiselev–Šverák, Hou's scenarios) keep failing just past the point of provability.

Still open.

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