Polynomial stability of operator semigroups

We investigate polynomial decay of classical solutions of linear evolution equations. For bounded strongly continuous semigroups on a Banach space this property is closely related to polynomial growth estimates of the resolvent of the generator. For systems of commuting normal operators polynomial decay is characterized in terms of the location of the generator spectrum. The results are applied to systems of coupled wave-type equations. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)