After returning from Brazil, Lu Zhou began to study the phenomenon of plasma turbulence.

Although he did not retreat, his life was quite regular, basically going back and forth between his bedroom, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and the PPPL laboratory.

In terms of difficulty, studying plasma turbulence phenomena is not much easier than studying the properties of the solution of the NS equation.

Moreover, the difficulty of the two is even more disagreeable with the above difficulties.

The latter is equivalent to using abstract mathematical tools to prove whether the solution exists and whether it is smooth. The former is equivalent to finding a "special solution" to a certain type of problem for the specific situation of the three-dimensional NS equation.

So far, there are only about 100 special solutions to NS equations for different problems, and most of them have either eliminated the time term or are limited to two-dimensional conditions.

As for those who do CFD or applied mathematics, most of the results are image-only models mixed with empirical formulas and empirical parameters, which is not of great significance for Lu Zhou.

And this means that Lu Zhou has to complete this difficult work from scratch, and there is not even a literature to draw on.

Of course, he is not completely without something to rely on.

For example, the L manifold he created when he was studying the NS equation is a very useful theoretical tool in his opinion.

Not only that, but after returning from this conference, his math level has been improved from LV6 to LV7, and he is only 3 levels away from the full LV10, and his talent in mathematics and his instinct for numbers are no longer the same as they were a few weeks ago.

Even if there is no 100% certainty, Lu Zhou is more than 90% sure that he can solve this problem.

At most, it will take a little time......

In the third week of returning to Princeton, August was drawing to a close, and Lu Zhou finally received a letter from the Clay Institute.

[Dear Professor Lu Zhou, I am James Carlson, Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Clay Institute for Mathematics. 】

[Based on the comments of the anonymous twelve reviewers, and with reference to the comments of the International Mathematical Union, we believe that you have completed the proof of the existence and smoothness of the solution of the NS equation.] 】

The solution of this problem will have a great role in promoting the development and application of mathematical theory, and we sincerely thank you for your contribution to the development of science in the mathematical community and even in the world. 】

[Based on the opinion of your collaborator, Professor Charles Louis Feverman, we are convinced that your work makes a decisive contribution to this issue.] Therefore, after a vote by the Clay Institute Board of Trustees, we have decided to award you a million dollars in advance......]

The reason why I say this is because every "millennial math problem" is solved and there is no immediate prize.

According to the regulations, any solution must be published in a world-renowned mathematics journal for at least two years and recognized by the mathematical community before it can be reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Cray Institute of Mathematics to decide whether to award the million-dollar prize.

However, this provision is not absolute.

Perelman's papers, for example, were never published in a "world-renowned" mathematical journal, and Carlson, then director of the Clay Institute, did not wait as long as two years when he visited the hermit in St. Petersburg......

Of course, although Carlsen didn't see Perelman in the end.

Considering that Lu Zhou's presentation was held in the form of a special report at the International Congress of Mathematicians, and that all the controversial parts have been answered, it seems that there is no need to wait for the academic community to continue to reach a consensus.

That's how the Clay Institute came to that decision.

In addition, in the email, the Clay Institute also attached the conditions for receiving the award.

As the proposition of the century announced at the Millennium Conference, Carlson's opinion was that he hoped that the award ceremony would be held more solemnly.

The award was presented at the Institut de France in Paris, where the Institut Clay announced the Millennium Mathematical Puzzle. A special award ceremony will be held between the Clay Institute and the European Mathematical Society to award him the million-dollar prize.

As for what kind of ritual it was, no one knows.

Perelman, who proved Poincaré's conjecture, was so personal that the award ceremony had never been held even though it had been planned more than a decade ago.

For Carlson's invitation, if it had been a month ago, Lu Zhou would have bought a plane ticket and flown over to receive the prize, after all, the million-dollar prize will not be taken in vain.

But now, his research on plasma turbulence is at a critical juncture, and he is neither willing nor interested in going on a long trip.

After thinking for a while, Lu Zhou politely replied to an email, saying that he was in the critical period of his research, and he really couldn't find time to fly to Paris. But at the same time, he also stated in the letter that he did not refuse the prize of one million dollars, and attached his bank card account number at the end of the email.

The implication is that you can just put the money on my card.

As for medals or certificates, if you have to send them to me, you can also send them by mail......

Seeing this email, Carlson almost didn't have a mouthful of old blood spurted on the screen.

It's even more infuriating than Perelman, who made him eat the closed door.

Forget that freak who doesn't see anyone behind closed doors, what kind of sassy operation is it to let him pay directly?!

How is it that the proof of the millennial problem is more bizarre than the other?!

Replying to an email, Carlson firmly told Lu Zhou that it was impossible.

As for the reason, it's simple!

Two of the millennial problems have been eliminated, and the Clay Institute has planned an award ceremony for more than ten years, but it has not been held once, and if you want to receive the award, you have to come to Paris in person anyway.

Of course, in his reply, Professor Carlson also softened the fact that he understands how important it is for a scholar to have coherence in his research.

If Lu Zhou really can't spare time, they are willing to negotiate a suitable award date with him and hold this award ceremony on a later date.

Seeing Professor Carlson's reply, Lu Zhou had a headache for the formalism of these guys.

The Clay Institute is in Cambridge, Massachusetts, not so far away that he doesn't even have to take a plane to get there, he can go with his Ford Explorer.

However, these people were not happy to present the award on their doorstep, so they had to go to the Collège de France in Paris across the Atlantic to hold the award ceremony.

And that sounded like it would be a waste of at least a week's worth of his time.

For Lu Zhou, who is working on an interesting research job, this is difficult to accept.

After thinking about it, Lu Zhou continued to edit a reply letter.

【…… I can't give you an exact time, but when my research on plasma turbulence is complete, maybe I can find time to claim the prize. 】

After the email was edited, Lu Zhou clicked send, then closed the mailbox, and continued to ponder the experimental data that had been hoarded on the computer for more than half a year.

When Professor Carlson, who was far away at the Clay Institute in Massachusetts, saw the email, he didn't say a word, just looked at his secretary Daft wordlessly.

Daft sighed, patted Professor Carlson on the shoulder, and silently comforted, "...... This is probably the most euphemistic refusal. ”

Although he is not a researcher of fluid mechanics, or even an academic, the special nature of the Clay Institute has exposed him to many cutting-edge research advances.

Turbulence is a well-known chaotic system, and it is also a problem that many physicists and mathematicians are puzzled by.

Not to mention that the object of research is plasma......

In his opinion, the email was almost equivalent to a rejection.

Removing the eye from the bridge of his nose, Carlson's arm rested on the table, his brow pinched with a headache.

"I don't understand...... Why? Why is it so difficult to send money? ”

He was really tired.

He used to feel this way when he was the director, but now that he has stepped back to become the chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board, the feeling in his heart has not changed at all.

He wants nothing now, and his only wish is to stand in the halls of the Académie Française before he retires, and award a million dollars in prize money and a medal of honor to the millennial problem solver.

But why is it so difficult to make this wish come true?

Obviously, two have already been resolved......