Let ν>0 be a positive real number. Does there exist a smooth, divergence-free, 1-periodic initial velocity field u0:R3→R3 and a smooth external force f:R3×[0,∞)→R3 that is 1-periodic in space and whose derivatives decay faster than any polynomial in time, such that there is no smooth solution pair (v,p) to the three-dimensional periodic Navier–Stokes equations with viscosity ν, initial data u0, and forcing f? Specifically, no pair (v,p) exists where v:R3×[0,∞)→R3 and p:R3×[0,∞)→R are both smooth, 1-periodic in space for all t≥0, satisfy the Navier–Stokes equation
∂t∂v+(v⋅∇)v=νΔv−∇p+f
for all x∈R3 and t≥0, maintain ∇⋅v=0 for all x and t≥0, and satisfy the initial condition v(x,0)=u0(x) for all x∈R3.