COMPLEX VECTOR FIELDS AND HYPOELLIPTIC PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL OPERATORS

We prove a subelliptic estimate for systems of complex vector fields under some assumptions that generalize the essential pseudoconcavity for CR manifolds, that was first introduced by two of the authors; and the Hormander's bracket condition for real vector fields. Applications are given to prove the hypoellipticity of first order systems and second order partial differential operators. Finally we describe a class of compact homogeneous CR manifolds for which the distribution of (0,1) vector fields satisfies a subelliptic estimate.