33.5. HELMHOLTZ DECOMPOSITIONS 1153

Theorem 33.5.7 There exists a continuous projection

π : Lp (U ;Rn)→ Lp (U ;Rn)

such that πF is a gradient and∇ · (F−πF) = 0

in the sense of weak derivatives.

Note this theorem shows that any Lp vector field is the sum of a gradient and a partwhich is divergence free. F = F−πF+πF.