Solution
= Solution
Expand $P_Nw$ in the orthonormal <Stokes operator> eigenbasis:
$$
P_Nw=\sum_{k=1}^Nw_k\phi_k.
$$
The $H$ and $V$ norms satisfy
$$
|P_Nw|^2=\sum_{k=1}^N|w_k|^2,
\qquad
\|P_Nw\|^2=(AP_Nw,P_Nw)
=\sum_{k=1}^N\lambda_k|w_k|^2.
$$
Since $\lambda_k\leq\lambda_N$ on the projected space,
$$
\boxed{\|P_Nw\|\leq\lambda_N^{1/2}|P_Nw|}.
$$
This is the basic inverse estimate for a <spectral projection of the Stokes operator>.