Linear stability in an ideal incompressible fluid

We give an explicit construction of approximate eigenfunctions for a linearized Euler operator in dimensions two and three with periodic boundary conditions, and an estimate from below for its spectral bound in terms of an appropriate Lyapunov exponent. As a consequence, we prove that in dimension 2 the spectral and growth bounds for the corresponding group are equal. Therefore, the linear hydrodynamic stability of a steady state for the Euler equations in dimension 2 is equivalent to the fact that the spectrum of the linearized operator is pure imaginary. In dimension 3 we prove the estimate from below for the spectral bound that implies the same equality for every example where the relevant Lyapunov exponents could be effectively computed. For the kinematic dynamo operator describing the evolution of a magnetic field in an ideally conducting incompressible fluid we prove that the growth bound equals the spectral bound in dimensions 2 and 3.