On the Existence of Extremals for the Sobolev Trace Embedding Theorem with Critical Exponent

In this paper, the existence problem is studied for extremalsof the Sobolev trace inequality W^1,p()L^p*(), where is a boundedsmooth domain in R^N, p*=p(N–1)/(N–p), is the criticalSobolev exponent, and 1 < p < N. 2000 Mathematics SubjectClassification 35J65 (primary), 35B33 (secondary).     

General Uniqueness Results and Variation Speed for Blow-Up Solutions of Elliptic Equations

Let be a smooth bounded domain in R^N. We prove general uniquenessresults for equations of the form – u = au – b(x)f(u) in , subject to u = on . Our uniqueness theorem is establishedin a setting involving Karamata's theory on regularly varyingfunctions, which is used to relate the blow-up behavior of u(x)with f(u) and b(x), where b 0 on and a certain ratio involvingb is bounded near . A key step in our proof of uniqueness usesa modification of an iteration technique due to Safonov. 2000Mathematics Subject Classification 35J25 (primary), 35B40, 35J60(secondary).     

Nodal Solutions of a p-Laplacian Equation

We prove that the p-Laplacian problem –_p u = f(x, u),with u on a bounded domain R^N, with p > 1 arbitrary, has a nodal solution providedthat f : x R R is subcritical, and f(x, t) / |t|^p –² is superlinear. Infinitely many nodal solutions are obtainedif, in addition, f(x, –t) = –f(x, t). 2000 MathematicsSubject Classification 35J20, 35J65, 58E05.     

POSITIVE SOLUTIONS FOR A NONLINEAR ELLIPTIC PROBLEM WITH STRONG LACK OF COMPACTNESS

This paper deals with the lack of compactness in the nonlinearelliptic problem – u + u = |u|^p–2u in , u > 0in , u = 0 on , when is un unbounded domain in ⁿ and 2 <p < 2n/(n–2). In particular, a domain is provided where non-converging Palais–Smale sequences existat every energy level. Nevertheless, it is proved that the problemhas infinitely many solutions on .     

Off-Diagonal Bounds of Non-Gaussian Type for the Dirichlet Heat Kernel

The paper considers the heat kernel K(t, x, y) of the operator– on a proper Euclidean domain , with Dirichlet boundaryconditions. A general pointwise lower bound for K, which isvalid for t larger than a suitable t₀(x,y), is proved (the short-timebehaviour being well understood). The resulting non-Gaussianbounds describe simultaneously both the case of bounded domainsand the case, modelled on the half-space example, of domainswhich satisfy a twisted infinite internal cone condition. Boundsfor the Green's function are given as well.     

Essential norms and localization moduli of Sobolev embeddings for general domains

We introduce new measures of non-compactness for the embeddingoperator E_p,q():L_p¹() L_q() and describe their relations withthe essential norm of E_{p, q}(), ‘local’ isoperimetricand isocapacitary constants. An explicit formula for the essentialnorm of E_{p, q}() is obtained for domains with a power cusp onthe boundary and bounded C¹ domains. The Neumann problem fora particular Schrödinger operator is discussed on domainswith a power cusp.     

Approximation of exact controllability problem involving parabolic differential equations

In this paper we examine computation of optimal control u^* ofthe exact controllability problem (referred to as the constraintproblem) governed by the following type of linear parabolicdifferential equations: (y/t) + Ay = u in Q y = 0 on y(0) = y₀ on where A is the second-order elliptic differential operator, is a bounded domain in ^k with smooth boundary , Q = (0, T)x , = (0, T) x and T > 0. This is achieved by approximatingu^* through a sequence {u_n} of controls corresponding to unconstrainedproblems involving a penalty function arising from the controllabilityconstraint.     

DESINGULARIZATIONS OF CALABI-YAU 3-FOLDS WITH CONICAL SINGULARITIES. II. THE OBSTRUCTED CASE

This is the second of two papers studying Calabi–Yau 3-foldswith conical singularities and their desingularizations. Inour first paper [Y.-M. Chan, Quart. J. Math. 57 (2006), 151–181]we constructed the desingularization of the conically singularmanifold M₀ by gluing an asymptotically conical (AC) Calabi–Yau3-fold Y into M₀ at the singular point, thus obtaining a 1-parameterfamily of compact, non-singular Calabi–Yau 3-folds M_tfor small t > 0. During the gluing process one may encountera kind of cohomological obstruction to defining a 3-form _t onM_t which interpolates between the 3-form ₀ on M₀ and the scaled3-form t³ _Y on Y if the rate at which the AC Calabi–Yau3-fold Y converges to the Calabi–Yau cone is equal to– 3. The first paper [3] studied the simpler case <–3 where there is no obstruction. This paper extends theresult in the first one by considering a more complicated situtationwhen = –3. Assuming the existence of singular Calabi–Yaumetrics on compact complex 3-folds with ordinary double points,our result in this paper can be applied to repairing such kindsof singularities, which is an analytic version of Friedman'sresult giving necessary and sufficient conditions for smoothingordinary double points.     

On A Minimization Problem for Vector Fields in L1

This paper treats the problem of minimizing the norm of vectorfields in L¹ with prescribed divergence. The ridge of . playsan important role in the analysis, and in the case where R²is a polygonal domain, the ridge is thoroughly analysed andsome examples are presented. In the case where Rⁿ is a Lipschitzdomain and the divergence is a finite positive Borel measure,the infimum is calculated, and it is shown that if an extremalexists, then it is of the form ₁ = –Fd, where F is a nonnegativefunction and d(x) is the distance from x to the boundary .Finally, if R² is a polygonal domain and the measure is representedby a nonnegative continuous function, then an explicit expressionfor the extremal is given, and it is proven that this extremalis unique.     

A Mean Value Property of Poly-Temperatures on a Strip Domain

We consider the iterates of the heat operator on Rⁿ⁺¹={(X, t); X=(x₁, x₂, ..., x_n)Rⁿ, tR}. Let Rⁿ⁺¹ be a domain,and let m1 be an integer. A lower semi-continuous and locallyintegrable function u on is called a poly-supertemperatureof degree m if (–H)^mu0 on (in the sense of distribution). If u and –u are both poly-supertemperatures of degreem, then u is called a poly-temperature of degree m. Since His hypoelliptic, every poly-temperature belongs to C(), andhence (–H)^m u(X, t)=0 (X, t). For the case m=1, we simply call the functions the supertemperatureand the temperature. In this paper, we characterise a poly-temperature and a poly-supertemperatureon a strip D={(X, t);XRⁿ, 0<t<T} by an integral mean on a hyperplane. To state our result precisely,we define a mean A[·, ·]. This plays an essentialrole in our argument.     

On the Behaviour of the First Eigenfunction of the p-Laplacian Near its Critical Points

In this paper, the behaviour of the positive eigenfunction of in u_| = 0, p > 1, isstudied near its critical points. Under some convexity and symmetryassumptions on , is seen to have a unique critical point atx = 0; also, the behaviour of both and is determined nearby.Positive solutions u to some general problems –_pu = f(u)in , u_| = 0, are also considered, with some convexity restrictionson u. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 35B05 (primary),35J65, 35J70 (secondary).     

On Artin's Braid Group And Polyconvexity In The Calculus Of Variations

Let R² be a bounded Lipschitz domain and let be a Carathèodory integrand such that F(x,·) is polyconvex for L²-a.e. x . Moreover assume thatF is bounded from below and satisfies the condition as det for L²-a.e. x . The paper describes the effect of domain topologyon the existence and multiplicity of strong local minimizersof the functional wherethe map u lies in the Sobolev space W_id^1,p (, R²) with p 2and satisfies the pointwise condition u(x) >0 for L²-a.e.x . The question is settled by establishing that F[·]admits a set of strong local minimizers on that can be indexed by the group P_n Zⁿ, the directsum of Artin's pure braid group on n strings and n copies ofthe infinite cyclic group. The dependence on the domain topologyis through the number of holes n in and the different mechanismsthat give rise to such local minimizers are fully exploitedby this particular representation.     

Multiple Solutions to p-Laplacian Problems with Asymptotic Nonlinearity as up-1 at Infinity

The paper studies the existence of multiple solutions to thefollowing p-Laplacian type elliptic problem (p > 1): where is a bounded domain in R^N(N 1) with smooth boundary, and f(x, u) goes asymptotically in u to |u|^p–2u at infinity.It is well known that this kind of nonlinear term creates somedifficulties in the application of the mountain pass theorembecause of the lack of an Ambrosetti–Rabinowitz type superlinearcondition on f(x, u). An improved mountain pass theorem is usedto prove that the above problem possesses multiple solutionsunder some natural conditions on f(x, u), and some known resultsare generalized.     

Minimal Geodesics on Manifolds with Discontinuous Metrics

The paper describes some qualitative properties of minimizerson a manifold M endowed with a discontinuous metric. The discontinuityoccurs on a hypersurface disconnecting M. Denote by ₁ and₂ the open subsets of M such that M\ =₁₂. Assume that and are endowed with metrics ·, · ₍₁₎ and ·,·₍₂₎, respectively, such that (i=1, 2) is convex or concave. The existence of a minimizerof the length functional on curves joining two given pointsof M is proved. The qualitative properties obtained allows therefraction law in a very general situation to be described.     

Properties of Removable Singularities for Hardy Spaces of Analytic Functions

Removable singularities for Hardy spaces H^p() = {f Hol(): |f|^p u in for some harmonic u}, 0 < p < are studied. A setE = is a weakly removable singularity for H^p(\E) if H^p(\E) Hol(), and a strongly removable singularity for H^p(\E) if H^p(\E)= H^p(). The two types of singularities coincide for compactE, and weak removability is independent of the domain . The paper looks at differences between weak and strong removability,the domain dependence of strong removability, and when removabilityis preserved under unions. In particular, a domain and a setE that is weakly removable for all H^p, but not strongly removablefor any H^p(\E), 0 < p < , are found. It is easy to show that if E is weakly removable for H^p(\E)and q > p, then E is also weakly removable for H^q(\E). Itis shown that the corresponding implication for strong removabilityholds if and only if q/p is an integer. Finally, the theory of Hardy space capacities is extended, anda comparison is made with the similar situation for weightedBergman spaces.     

Multi-Bubble Solutions for Slightly Super-Critical Elliptic Problems in Domains with Symmetries

The aim of this paper is to show the existence of solutionswith an arbitrarily large number of bubbles for the slightlysuper-critical elliptic problem in , subject to the conditions that u > 0 in , and u = 0on , where > 0 is a small parameter and R^N is a boundeddomain with certain symmetries, for instance an annulus or atorus in R³. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 35J25 (primary);35J20, 35J60 (secondary).     

Skeletons and Central Sets

Let be an open proper subset of Rⁿ. Its skeleton is the setof points with more than one nearest neighbour in the complementof its central set is the set of centres in maximal open ballsincluded in . Intuitively, if we think of as a land mass inwhich height is proportional to distance from the sea, its skeletonand central set can be thought of as corresponding to ridgesin the mountains of . In this note I discuss the metric andtopological properties of such sets. I show that any skeletonin Rⁿ is F, and has dimension at most n – 1, by any ofthe usual measures of dimension; that if is bounded and connected,its skeleton and central set are connected; and that separatesRⁿ iff its skeleton does iff its central set does. Any centralset in Rⁿ is a G set of topological dimension at most n –1. In the plane, I show that both skeletons and central setsare locally path-connected, and indeed include many paths offinite length. For any , its central set includes its skeleton;I give examples to show that the central set can be significantlylarger than the skeleton. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification:54F99.     

Total Flux Estimates for a Finite-Element Approximation of Elliptic Equations

An elliptic boundary-value problem on a domain with prescribedDirichlet data on _I is approximated using a finite-elementspace of approximation power h^K in the L² norm. It is shownthat the total flux across _I can be approximated with an errorof O(h^K) when is a curved domain in Rⁿ (n = 2 or 3) and isoparametricelements are used. When is a polyhedron, an O(h^2K–2)approximation is given. We use these results to study the finite-elementapproximation of elliptic equations when the prescribed boundarydata on _I is the total flux. Present address: School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences,University of Sussex, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QH.     

A local error analysis of the boundary-concentrated hp-FEM

^** Email: teibner{at}mathematik.tu-chemnitz.de^*** Email: melenk{at}tuwien.ac.at The boundary-concentrated finite-element method (FEM) is a variantof the hp-version of the FEM that is particularly suited forthe numerical treatment of elliptic boundary value problemswith smooth coefficients and boundary conditions with low regularityor non-smooth geometries. In this paper, we consider the caseof the discretization of a Dirichlet problem with the exactsolution u H¹⁺() and investigate the local error in variousnorms. For 2D problems, we show that the error measured in thesenorms is O(N^––ß), where N denotes thedimension of the underlying finite-element space and ß> 0. Furthermore, we present a new Gauss–Lobatto-basedinterpolation operator that is adapted to the case of non-uniformpolynomial degree distributions.     

Compact Embeddings of Besov Spaces in Exponential Orlicz Spaces

Let 1 < p < , 0 < v < p', let be a bounded domainin Rⁿ, and denote by id the limiting compact embedding of theBesov space (Rⁿ) into the exponentialOrlicz space L_exp(t^v)(), mapping a function f onto its restrictionf|. In 1993 Triebel established, among others, two-sided estimatesfor the entropy numbers of id, which are even asymptoticallyoptimal for ‘small’ . The aim of the paper is toimprove the upper bounds in the case of ‘large’, where Triebel's estimates are not yet sharp, thus making afurther step towards the conjectured correct asymptotic behaviour.