Local smoothing for operators failing the cinematic curvature condition

In this paper, we examine a class of averaging operators which exhibit local smoothing. That is, viewed as a function of space and time variables, the operators yield more smoothing than the fixed-time estimates. Sogge showed in a more general setting that if these operators satisfy a cinematic curvature condition, they will exhibit some local smoothing [C.D. Sogge, Propagation of singularities and maximal functions in the plane, Invent. Math. 104 (1991) 231–251]. Here we translate this condition into the setting of averaging operators in the plane. We prove that cinematic curvature is not necessary for local smoothing to occur, exhibiting a class of operators which fail the cinematic curvature condition but still satisfy a local smoothing estimate. Furthermore, the amount of local smoothing exhibited by these operators is strictly less than that conjectured for operators satisfying the cinematic curvature condition. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.