Radial reduction of the three-dimensional wave equation

For a radial function $u(t,r)$ in three dimensions, setting $w=ru$ removes the radial first derivative because $r\Delta u=w_{rr}$. The defocusing power equation becomeson the half-line.

In three dimensions set $w=ru$ for a radial function satisfying $\square u=F$. If the source has support in $s\le r\le s+1$ and $|F(s,r)|\le (1+s{)}^{-2}$, the Duhamel principle bounds its contribution to $w(t,t+a)$ by $\frac{1}{2}\log (1+t)$ for $1/2\le a\le 1$. Its backward characteristic interval meets the source in a set of length at most one, and $r|F|\le (1+s{)}^{-1}$. Division by $r\simeq 1+t$ gives $|u|\lesssim \log (2+t)/(1+t)$ for compactly supported initial data.

For $q=w_t+w_r$ and a radial weight $\psi$,