On a multi-dimensional transport equation with nonlocal velocity

Abstract: We study a multi-dimensional nonlocal active scalar equation of the form $u_t+v\cdot \nabla u=0$ in $\mathbb R^+\times \mathbb R^d$, where $v=\Lambda^{-2+\alpha}\nabla u$ with $\Lambda=(-\Delta)^{1/2}$. We show that when $\alpha\in (0,2]$ certain radial solutions develop gradient blowup in finite time. In the case when $\alpha=0$, the equations are globally well-posed with arbitrary initial data in suitable Sobolev spaces.