Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 January 2016
We investigate the decay for |x|→∞ of weak Sobolev-type solutions of semilinear nonlocal equations Pu = F(u). We consider the case when P = p(D) is an elliptic Fourier multiplier with polyhomogeneous symbol p(ξ), and we derive algebraic decay estimates in terms of weighted Sobolev norms. Our basic example is the celebrated Benjamin–Ono equation
for internal solitary waves of deep stratified fluids. Their profile presents algebraic decay, in strong contrast with the exponential decay for KdV shallow water waves.