Multi-parameter singular radon transforms I: The L ² theory

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to study the L ² boundedness of operators of the form f ↦ ψ(x) ∫ f (γ _t (x))K(t)dt, where γ _t (x) is a C ^∞ function defined on a neighborhood of the origin in (t, x) ∈ ℝ^N × ℝⁿ, satisfying γ ₀(x) ≡ x, ψ is a C ^∞ cut-off function supported on a small neighborhood of 0 ∈ ℝⁿ, and K is a “multi-parameter singular kernel” supported on a small neighborhood of 0 ∈ ℝ^N. The goal is, given an appropriate class of kernels K, to give conditions on γ such that every operator of the above form is bounded on L ². The case when K is a Calderón-Zygmund kernel was studied by Christ, Nagel, Stein, and Wainger; we generalize their conditions to the case when K has a “multi-parameter” structure. For example, when K is given by a “product kernel.” Even when K is a Calderón- Zygmund kernel, our methods yield some new results. This is the first paper in a three part series, the later two of which are joint with E. M. Stein. The second paper deals with the related question of L ^p boundedness, while the third paper deals with the special case when γ is real analytic.