(page 1535)

A Substitute of Harmonic Majorization

Liliana de Rosa and Carlos Segovia

Abstract. A substitute of harmonic majorization of powers

of harmonic functions in R2+ is given for one sided kernels and
one sided doubling weights. The substitute of harmonic ma-
jorization obtained is applied to the study of a generalization
of the Tλ,r functions of Fefferman and Stein.

It is well known, see [SW] and [GR], that if u(x, t) is a harmonic function defined
on the upper half plane (t > 0) , 1 ≤ q < ∞ and δ > 0 , then there exists a
function g(x) ≥ 0 such that

|u(x, t)|δ ≤ Pt ∗ g(x),

where Pt (x) = (1/π)(t/(t2 + x2 )) is the Poisson kernel on R2+ and

Z Z
g(x) dx ≤
q
u∗ (x)qδ dx,

where u∗ (x) = sup|x−y|<t |u(y, t)| . The purpose of this paper is to generalize
these results to kernels different from the Poisson kernel and other maximal
functions. The result we obtain is stated in Theorem (5). We apply Theorem
(5) to the study of a one sided version of the Tλ,r function of Fefferman and
Stein [FS] and the results obtained in this direction are stated in Theorem (18).
The Lebesgue measure of a set E ⊆ R is denoted by |E| and its char-
acteristic function by χ E (x) . As usual, a weight w(x) is a Lebesgue mea-
surable and non-negative function defined on R . A function f (x) belongs
R 1/p
∞
to Lp (w) , 0 < p ≤ ∞ , if kf kLp (w) = −∞
|f (x)|p w(x)dx is finite. If
w(x) ≡ 1 , we simply write kf kLp or kf kp . If E R ⊆ R is a Lebesgue mea-
surable set, we denote its w -measure by w(E) = E w(t)dt . The set function
w(E) is a measure on the σ -algebra of all Lebesgue measurable subset of R . If
1535

Indiana University Mathematics Journal

c , Vol. 48, No. 4 (1999)
1536 Liliana de Rosa & Carlos Segovia

w([x, x + 2t]) ≤ cw · w([x, x + t]) holds for every x ∈ R and t > 0 , we shall say
that w(x) is a right hand doubling weight.
A weight w(x) belongs to the class A− p , 1 < p < ∞ , if there exists a
constant cw,p such that for every a < b < c , we have

Z  Z !p−1
c b
−1/(p−1)
w(y)dy w(y) dy ≤ cw,p (c − a)p ,
b a

and w(x) belongs to A−

1 if

Z x+s
1
sup w(y)dy ≤ cw,1 w(x)
s>0 s x

holds for almost every x in R .

We define the left sided Hardy-Littlewood maximal M − f (x) as
Z x
1
M − f (x) = sup |f (y)|dy.
s>0 s x−s

E. Sawyer proved in [S] that in the case 1 < p < ∞ , there exists a constant cw,p
such that
kM − f kLp (w) ≤ cw,p kf kLp (w)
if and only if w ∈ A−
p . Moreover, the inequality

sw({x : M − f (x) > s}) ≤ cw,1 kf kL1 (w)

holds for every s > 0 , if and only if w ∈ A−

1 .
Let w(x) ≥ 0 defined on R . Given a Lebesgue measurable function f (x) ,
for every bounded interval I we define mI (f, w) as
Z
1
mI (f, w) = |f (y)|w(y)dy, if 0 < w(I) < ∞
w(I) I

and
mI (f, w) = 0, if w(I) = 0 or w(I) = ∞ .
Then, the maximal function Mw f (x) is defined as

(1) Mw f (x) = sup mI (f, w),

x∈I
 A Substitute of Harmonic Majorization 1537

where the supremum is taken over all bounded intervals I such that x ∈ I .
Since we work on the real line it is well known that there exists a constant cq
such that the weighted norm inequality

(2) kMw f kLq (w) ≤ cq kf kLq (w)

holds if 1 < q < ∞ , and

s w({x ∈ R : Mw f (x) > s}) ≤ ckf kL1 (w)

holds for every s > 0 .

As usual, by C0∞ we mean the class of all functions with compact support
and derivatives of all orders, and S stand for the class of functions with rapidly
decreasing derivatives of all orders.
Let γ be a non-negative integer and Φγ the class of all C0∞ -functions ψ(x) ,
such that there exists an interval I = [0, β] satisfying

(i) support (ψ) ⊂ I

(ii) |I|γ+1 kDγ ψk∞ ≤ 1.

Given a bounded function f (x) with compact support, we shall consider the left
∗
sided maximal function f−,γ defined as

∗
(3) f−,γ (x) = sup |f ∗ ψ(x)|

where the supremum is taken over all ψ belonging to Φγ , see [RS].

Let r > 0 and s > 1 + r , we define the function

xr χ (0,∞) (x).
(4) h(x) =
(1 + x)s

For any function ϕ(x) we denote by ϕt (x) the function ϕt (x) = t−1 ϕ(x/t) .
With these definitions and notations we can state the main result of this
paper.

Theorem 5. Let w(x) be a right hand doubling weight, k a non-negative

integer and ϕ(x) ∈ S with support contained in [0, ∞) . Given a bounded func-
tion f (x) with bounded support there exists a non-negative function g(x) such
that

(6) |f ∗ ϕt (x)| ≤ c(g ∗ ht (x))k+2

1538 Liliana de Rosa & Carlos Segovia

and
Z Z
∗
(7) g(x)q w(x)dx ≤ c f−,k+1 (x)q/(k+2) w(x)dx

hold with 1 ≤ q < ∞ and a constant c depending on k, ϕ, h and q .

In order to prove Theorem (5) we shall need some results.

Lemma 8. Let w(x) be a right hand doubling weight. If {xk } is a sequence

of real numbers and {rk } and {λk } are sequences of positive numbers, then given
a > 1 , there exists a constant cq,a (w) such that
X X

λk χ (xk ,xk +ark ) ≤ cq,a (w) λk χ (xk ,xk +rk )
Lq (w) Lq (w)

holds for 1 ≤ q < ∞ . The constant c depends on w and q .

Proof. The proof of this Lemma for a doubling weight is sketched in Lemma
4, page 115 of [ST]. For the sake of completeness we give the proof here. First
of all we observe that it is enough to prove this lemma if w((xk , xk + rk )) < ∞
for every k . Actually, we can assume that 0 < w((xk , xk + rk )) < ∞ , k ≥ 1 ,
and since w(x) is a right hand doubling weight it follows that

0 < w((xk , xk + ark )) < ∞

for every k . Let g(x) ≥ 0 and Mw g(x) the maximal function defined in (1).
For xk ≤ z ≤ xk + rk , we have
Z xk +ark
g(x)w(x)dx ≤ w(xk , xk + ark )Mw g(z).
xk

Therefore, since w(x) is a right hand doubling weight, we get

Z xk +ark Z xk +rk
g(x)w(x)dx ≤ c Mw g(z)w(z)dz,
xk xk

for every k . Then

X Z xk +ark X Z xk +rk
λk g(x)w(x)dx ≤ c λk Mw g(z)w(z)dz,
k xk k xk

which is equivalent to
 A Substitute of Harmonic Majorization 1539

Z ∞ X 
λk χ(xk ,xk +ark ) (x) g(x)w(x)dx
−∞ k
Z ∞ X 
≤c λk χ(xk ,xk +rk ) (z) Mw g(z)w(z)dz.
−∞ k

Applying Hölder’s inequality and (2), we have that the right hand side above
is bounded by
X

C λk χ (xk ,xk +rk ) q kgkLq0 (w) ,
L (w)
k

and the Lemma follows immediately with cq,a (w) = C . 

Lemma 9. Let −∞ < α < β < ∞ and I = (α, β) . Let k be a non-

negative integer and a(x) a function satisfying
(i) kak∞ < ∞ ,
(ii) support of a(x) contained in I and R
(iii) if ` is a non-negative integer, ` ≤ k , then x` a(x)dx = 0 .
Then, for ϕ(x) ∈ S with support contained in [0, ∞) we have
(a) if x ≤ α then ϕt ∗ a(x) = 0 ,
(b) if x ≥ α then for any integer n ≥ 1

 n+1
kak∞ kDn ϕk∞ x−α
(10) |ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ ,
(n + 1)! t

and

(11) |ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ kak∞ kϕk1 ,

(c) if x ≥ β + (β − α) then for any non-negative integers u and v

 α u
 k+2 x−
β −α t  .
|ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ ck,u,v,ϕ kak∞  v
t −
1+ t α
x

Proof. By a change of variables, it is enough to prove the Lemma for the

case α = 0 . Let us show part a). It is evident since ϕt ∗ a(x) is the convolution
of functions supported on [0, ∞) . Part b) (10): Since x = 0 is a zero of ϕ
1540 Liliana de Rosa & Carlos Segovia

of infinite order then ϕ(z) = z n Dn ϕ(θz)/n! with 0 < θ < 1 , for any integer
n ≥ 1.
Thus, |ϕ(z)| ≤ kD n ϕk∞ |z|n /n! . Then, we have

Z β Z x/t
|ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ kak∞ |ϕt (x − y)|dy ≤ kak∞ |ϕ(z)|dz.
0 0

Therefore,
kak∞ kDn ϕk∞ n+1
|ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ (x/t) .
(n + 1)!
Part b) (11) is obvious. As for part c), taking into account (iii) we have

Z "   Xk  ` #
−1 x−y −y 1 ` x
(12) ϕt ∗ a(x) = t ϕ − D ϕ a(y)dy.
t t `! t
`=0

Since ϕ(x) ∈ S and the support of ϕ(x) is contained in [0, ∞) , given any
non-negative integers u and v we have
 k+1 
D ϕ(z) ≤ ck,u,v,ϕ z u /(1 + z)v ,

for z ≥ 0 . Then, by Taylor’s formula the integrand in (12) is bounded by

 k+1
1 β (x/t)u
ck,u,v,ϕ kak∞ ,
(k + 1)! t (1 + x/t)v

thus, integrating we get c). 

Lemma 13. Let h(x) be the function defined in (4). Let I = [α, β] and
e
I = [α, β + β − α] . Then,
(a) if x ≤ α then ht ∗ χ Ie (x) = 0 ,
(b) if α ≤ x ≤ β + β − α and x − α ≤ 2t then
 r+1
3−s x−α
ht ∗ χ Ie (x) ≥ ,
r+1 t

(c) if α ≤ x ≤ β + β − α and x − α ≥ 2t then

ht ∗ χ Ie (x) ≥ 3−s ,

and
 A Substitute of Harmonic Majorization 1541

(d) if β + β − α ≤ x then

 r
x−α
β −α t
ht ∗ χ Ie (x) ≥ 2−r  s .
t 1+ x−
t
α

Proof. Without loss of generality we can assume that α = 0 . Part (a) is

obvious. If 0 ≤ x ≤ 2β and x ≤ 2t , we have

Z 2β Z x/t
ht ∗ χIe (x) = ht (x − y)dy = h(z)dz
0 0
Z x/t
zr 3−s  x r+1
= s
dz ≥ ,
0 (1 + z) r+1 t

which proves (b). Let 0 ≤ x ≤ 2β and x ≥ 2t . We have

Z x/t Z 2
zr
ht ∗ χ Ie (x) = h(z)dz ≥ dz ≥ 3−s ,
0 1 (1 + z)s

which proves (c). Finally, if x ≥ 2β ,

Z 2β Z β
ht ∗ χIe (x) = ht (x − y)dy ≥ ht (x − y)dy
0 0
 r
Z x/t
x−β
β t−r β (x/t)r
= h(z)dz ≥ s ≥2 ,
x−β/t t (1 + x/t) t (1 + x/t)s

which proves part (d). 

From Lemmas 9 and 13 we get the following proposition:

Proposition 14. Let I , a(x) and ϕ(x) as in Lemma 9 and, h(x) and
Ie, as in Lemma 13. If u = r(k + 2) , v = s(k + 2) and n = (r + 1)(k + 2) − 1 ,
we have

h ik+2
(15) |ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ cr,s,k,ϕ kak∞ ht ∗ χ Ie (x) .
1542 Liliana de Rosa & Carlos Segovia

Proof. It is obvious that (15) holds if x ≤ α . Let α ≤ x ≤ β + β − α and

x − α ≤ 2t . By (10) and part b) of Lemma (13), we have

(r + 1)k+2 s(k+2) n+1 h ik+2

|ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ 3 kD ϕk∞ kak∞ ht ∗ χ Ie (x) ,
(n + 1)!

and therefore (15) holds in this case. If α ≤ x ≤ β + β − α and x − α ≥ 2t , by

(11) and part (c) of Lemma (13) it follows that

h ik+2
|ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ 3s(k+2) kϕk1 kak∞ ht ∗ χ Ie (x) ,

proving (15) also in this case. Finally if x ≥ β + β − α by part (c) of Lemma

(9) and part (d) of Lemma (13), we get

 k+2
u
β −α (x − α)/t
|ϕt ∗ a(x)| ≤ ck,u,v,ϕ kak∞
v
t 1 + (x − α)/t
h ik+2
≤ ck,r,s,ϕ 2r(k+2) kak∞ ht ∗ χIe (x) ,

ending the proof. 

∗
Let f (x) be a bounded function with bounded support and let f−,k+1 (x)
be the maximal function defined in (3). This function is finite everywhere on
∗
R . The sets Ωi = {x : f−,k+1 (x) > 2i } , i ∈ ZZ , are open and bounded. By
Theorem (2.2) of [RS], if Iij stand for the connected components of Ωi , there
exist functions aij (x) such that


 (i) kaij k∞ ≤ c ,

 (ii) the support of aij is contained in Iij ,


 (iii) for every integer ` , 0 ≤ ` ≤ k ,

 Z

 x` aij (x) dx = 0 , and

 ∞
(16)  X X
 (iv) f (x) = 2i aij (x) . It is easy to see that for any

 −∞
 j
 ϕ(x) ∈ S ,


 Z X∞ XZ
 (v) i
 f (x)ϕ(x) dx = 2 aij (x)ϕ(x) dx .
 −∞ j
 A Substitute of Harmonic Majorization 1543

Now, we can prove Theorem (5).

Proof. Let ϕ(x) belong to S and support of ϕ(x) contained in [0, ∞) . By
Proposition (14) the functions aij (x) described in (16) satisfy

 k+2
|aij ∗ ϕt (x)| ≤ c χ Ie ∗ ht (x) .
ij

Then, by (v), we get

X X k+2
|f ∗ ϕt (x)| ≤ c 2i/(k+2) χ
Ieij
∗ ht (x) .
i j

If we define
X X
g(x) = 2i/(k+2) χ
Ieij
(x),
i j

we have
k+2
|f ∗ ϕt (x)| ≤ c (g ∗ ht (x)) ,
which proves (6). On the other hand, by Lemma (8), it follows that
X X
χ Iij
kgkLq (w) ≤ c 2i/(k+2) .
Lq (w)
i j

Then, taking into account that

X 21/k+2
2i/k+2 χ Ωi (x) ≤ f∗ (x)1/k+2 ,
i
21/k+2− 1 −,k+1

we obtain the inequality (7).

Application . Let λ > 1 and r > 0 . We define a right hand sided version
of the Tλ,r function of Fefferman and Stein, see [FS], as

Z δZ !1/r
x
− −λ
Tλ,r,ϕ f (x) = sup δ t λ−2
|f ∗ ϕt (y)| dydt r
,
δ>0 0 x−δ

where |ϕ(x)| ≤ c/(1 + |x|)1+ε , ε > 0 , and the support of ϕ(x) is contained in
[0, ∞) .
1544 Liliana de Rosa & Carlos Segovia

Proceeding as in [MW] we obtain that if λ < r

 
−
(17) Tλ,r,ϕ f (x) ≤ cM − |f |r/λ (x)λ/r

holds for every x ∈ R . If λ ≥ r , let k be a non-negative integer such that

λ < r(k + 2) . By Theorem (5) we get

Z δZ !1/r
x
− −λ
Tλ,r,ϕ f (x) ≤ c sup δ t λ−2
[g ∗ ht (y)]
r(k+2)
dydt
δ>0 0 x−δ

h ik+2 h ik+2
− −
= c Tλ,r(k+2),h g(x) = c Tλ,s,h g(x) ,

with s = r(k + 2) . Since λ < s , by (17) with s instead of r , we have

h   iλ/r
−
Tλ,r,ϕ f (x) ≤ c M − g s/λ (x) .

Thus
Z h ip Z h   i λp
−
M − g s/λ (x)
r
Tλ,r,ϕ f (x) w(x)dx ≤ c w(x)dx
Z
≤c g(x)(k+2)p w(x)dx,

if (λp)/r > 1 and w ∈ A−

λp/r . Taking into account (7) we obtain the inequality

Z Z
p ∗
[Tλ,r,ϕ f (x)] w(x)dx ≤ c f−,k+1 (x)p w(x)dx.

Thus, we have proved the following theorem which generalizes a result of

B. Muckenhoupt and R. L. Wheeden [MW]. 

Theorem 18. Let p > r/λ , k + 2 > λ/r and w ∈ A−

λp/r . If ϕ(x) ∈ S
with support contained in [0, ∞) , then
Z h ip Z
− ∗
Tλ,r,ϕ f (x) w(x)dx ≤ c f−,k+1 (x)p w(x)dx

holds with a finite constant c depending on λ, r, ϕ, w, k and p .

 A Substitute of Harmonic Majorization 1545

References
[FS] C. Fefferman and E. M. Stein, H p spaces of several variables, Acta Math. 129
(1972), 137-193.
[GR] J. Garcı́a-Cuerva and J. L. Rubio de Francia, Weighted Norm Inequalities and
Related Topics, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1985.
[MW] B. Muckenhoupt and R. L. Wheeden, Norm inequalities for the Littlewood-Paley
function gλ∗ , Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 191 (1974), 95-111.

[RS] L. de Rosa and C. Segovia, Weighted H p spaces for one sided maximal functions,
Contemporary Mathematics (AMS series) 189 (1995), 161-183.
[S] E. Sawyer, Weighted inequalities for the one sided Hardy-Littlewood maximal func-
tions, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 297 (1986), 53-61.
[ST] J. O. Strömberg and A. Torchinsky, Weighted Hardy Spaces, Lecture Notes in
Math. Vol. 1381, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1989.
[SW] E. M. Stein and G. Weiss, On the theory of harmonic functions of several vari-
ables, I. The theory of H p spaces, Acta Math. 103 (1960), 25-62.

Departmento de Matemáticas
Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires (UBA)
(1428)-Buenos Aires
República Argentina

CURRENT ADDRESS: Instituto Argentino de Matemática

Saavedra 15, 3 er Piso
(1083)-Buenos Aires
República Argentina

Email: segovia@iamba.edu.ar
Email: lderosa@mate.dm.uba.ar

Subject Classification: 1991 Mathematical Subject Classification. Primary 42B30; Sec-

ondary 42B25.
Keywords: one–sided weights, one–sided operators, H p -spaces

Received: May 11th, 1998.