New lower semicontinuity results for polyconvex integrals

Summary We study integral functionals of the formF(u, )= f(u)dx, defined foru C¹(;R ^k), R ⁿ . The functionf is assumed to be polyconvex and to satisfy the inequalityf(A) c₀¦(A)¦ for a suitable constant c₀ > 0, where (A) is then-vector whose components are the determinants of all minors of thek×n matrixA. We prove thatF is lower semicontinuous onC ¹(;R ^k) with respect to the strong topology ofL ¹(;R ^k). Then we consider the relaxed functional , defined as the greatest lower semicontinuous functional onL ¹(;R ^k ) which is less than or equal toF on C¹(;R ^k). For everyu BV(;R ^k) we prove that (u,) f(u)dx+c₀¦D^su¦(), whereDu=u dx+D^su is the Lebesgue decomposition of the Radon measureDu. Moreover, under suitable growth conditions onf, we show that (u,)= f(u)dx for everyu W^1,p(;R ^k), withp min{n,k}. We prove also that the functional (u, ) can not be represented by an inte- gral for an arbitrary functionu BV_loc(R ⁿ;R ^k). In fact, two examples show that, in general, the set function (u, ) is not subadditive whenu BV_loc(R ⁿ;R ^k), even ifu W _loc ^1,p (R ⁿ;R ^k) for everyp < min{n,k}. Finally, we examine in detail the properties of the functionsu BV(;R ^k) such that (u, )= f(u)dx, particularly in the model casef(A)=¦(A)¦.     

On monotone extensions of boundary data

Summary A functionf C (), is called monotone on if for anyx, y the relation x – y ₊ ^s impliesf(x)f(y). Given a domain with a continuous boundary and given any monotone functionf on we are concerned with the existence and regularity ofmonotone extensions i.e., of functionsF which are monotone on all of and agree withf on . In particular, we show that there is no linear mapping that is capable of producing a monotone extension to arbitrarily given monotone boundary data. Three nonlinear methods for constructing monotone extensions are then presented. Two of these constructions, however, have the common drawback that regardless of how smooth the boundary data may be, the resulting extensions will, in general, only be Lipschitz continuous. This leads us to consider a third and more involved monotonicity preserving extension scheme to prove that, when is the unit square [0, 1]² in ², strictly monotone analytic boundary data admit a monotone analytic extension.Research supported by NSF Grant 8922154Research supported by DARPA: AFOSR #90-0323     

Galerkin methods for parabolic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions

A variety of Galerkin methods are studied for the parabolic equationu _t =(a(x) u),x ⁿ ,t (O,T], subject to the nonlinear boundary conditionu _v =g(x,t,u),x,t (O,T] and the usual initial condition. Optimal order error estimates are derived both inL ² () andH ¹ () norms for all methods treated, including several that produce linear computational procedures.The authors were partially supported by The National Science Foundation during the preparation of this paper.     

Null-Controllability of Discrete-Time Systems with Restrained Controls in Asplund Spaces

This paper is concerned with the null-controllability of the infinite-dimensional discrete-time linear system described by

Global continuity estimates for two dimensional graphs of prescribed Gauss curvature

We prove the global Hölder continuity of convex solutions uC³() of the equation of prescribed positive Gauss curvature in a bounded convex domain with C^1, for some (0,1]. We also obtain better regularity for the trace of u on . In the special case =1 we show that and u|C^0,2/3(). We also investigate the global continuity of solutions in C¹ domains and construct an example showing that global continuity need not hold in general convex domains.Supported by an Australian Research Council Senior Fellowship.Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): Primary 35J60; Secondary 53A05, 53C42     

Extremal feedback perturbations for families of closed operators

Let T- S, be a family of not necessarily bounded semi-Fredholm operators, where T and S are operators acting between Banach spaces X and Y, and where S is bounded with D(S) D(T). For compact sets , as well as for certain open sets , we investigate existence and minimal rank of bounded feedback perturbations of the form F=BE such that min.ind (T-S+F)=0 for all . Here B is a given operator from a linear space Z to Y and E is some operator from X to Z.We give a simple characterization of that situation, when such regularizing feedback perturbations exist and show that for compact sets the minimal rank never exceeds max { min.ind (T-S) }+1. Moreover, an example shows that the minimal rank, in fact, may increase from max {...} to max {...}+1, if the given B enforces a certain structure of the feedbachk perturbation F.However, the minimal rank is equal to max { min.ind (T-S) }, if is an open set such that min.ind (T-S) already vanishes for all but finitely many points . We illustrate this result by applying it to the stabilization of certain infinite-dimensional dynamical systems in Hilbert space.     

Segmentation under geometrical conditions using geodesic active contours and interpolation using level set methods

Let I: be a given bounded image function, where is an open and bounded domain which belongs to ⁿ. Let us consider n=2 for the purpose of illustration. Also, let S={x_i}_i be a finite set of given points. We would like to find a contour , such that is an object boundary interpolating the points from S. We combine the ideas of the geodesic active contour (cf. Caselles et al. [7,8]) and of interpolation of points (cf. Zhao et al. [40]) in a level set approach developed by Osher and Sethian [33]. We present modelling of the proposed method, both theoretical results (viscosity solution) and numerical results are given. AMS subject classification 49L25, 74G65, 68U10     

On semiregular conditional distributions

Let (,A,P) denote some probability space and some sub--algebra ofA. It is shown that there exists a semiregular versionQ (A),A, , of the conditional distributionP(A|), AA, i.e., Q (A), (AA fixed) is andAQ (A),AA ( fixed), is a probability charge satisfyingQ (N)=0, , for allP-zero setsN, if and only ifL ₁(,P|) has a lifting, which exists for any sub--algebra ofA ifL ₁(,A P) is separable. Separability ofL ₁(,A,P) implies also the existence of a strongly semiregular versionQ (A),A, , ofP(A|), A , i.e., Q (A), (AA fixed), is -measurable andAQ (A),A ( fixed), is a probability charge. Furthermore,P can be written as P ₁+(1–)P ₂, 01, whereP ₁ are probability measures onA such thatP ₁(A|),AA, has a semiregular version vanishing for anyP-zero setN andP ₂ is singular with respect to any probability measure onA of the type ofP ₁. In the case 0<<1 the probability measuresP _j ,j=1, 2, are uniquely determined. The decomposition can be carried over to the case, where the additional condition thatQ (N)=0 for all and anyP-zero setN is valid, is omitted respectively semiregularity is replaced by (i) strong semiregularity, or (ii) classical regularity. In the last mentioned case (ii) the decomposition is multiplicative.     

Variational problems in SBV and image segmentation

We show how it is possible to prove the existence of solutions of the Mumford-Shah image segmentation functional F(u,K) = _\K [u² + (u – g)²]dx + ^{n – 1}(K), u W ^1,2(\K), K closed in .We use a weak formulation of the minimum problem in a special class SBV() of functions of bounded variation. Moreover, we also deal with the regularity of minimizers and the approximation of F by elliptic functionals defined on Sobolev spaces. In this paper, we have collected the main results of Ambrosio and others.     

Existence theorems for nonlinear evolution inclusions

Summary In this paper we obtain an existence theorem for the abstract Cauchy problem for multivalued differential equations of the form u–^– f(u)+G(u), u(O)=x₀, where ^– f is the Fréchet subdifferential of a functionf defined on an open subset of a real separable Hilbert space H, taking its values in R {+} and G is a multifunction from C([0, T], ) into the nonempty subsets of L²([0, T], H). As an application we obtain an existence theorem for the multivalued perturbed problem x–^– f(x)+F(t, x), x(0)=x₀, where F:[0, T]×(H) is a multifunction satisfying some regularity assumptions.     

On a Generalization of Nikolskij's Extension Theorem in the Case of Two Variables

A modification of the Nikolskij extension theorem for functions from Sobolev spaces H ^k() is presented. This modification requires the boundary to be only Lipschitz continuous for an arbitrary k however, it is restricted to the case of two-dimensional bounded domains.     

Annihilating properties of convolution operators on complex spheres

Summary This paper studies annihilating properties of operators generated by spherical convolution over the unit sphere _2q of C^q. Its specific aim is to answer the following question: given a complex number , ||1, to determine what functions of L²(_2q) have zero average over every section _w^{,q :=}{ z _2q: <z,w> = } of _2q . Here, <.,.>stands for the usual inner product of C^q.     

The Laplacian with Robin Boundary Conditions on Arbitrary Domains

Using a capacity approach, we prove in this article that it is always possible to define a realization of the Laplacian on L ²() with generalized Robin boundary conditions where is an arbitrary open subset of R ⁿ and is a Borel measure on the boundary of . This operator generates a sub-Markovian C ₀-semigroup on L ²(). If d=d where is a strictly positive bounded Borel measurable function defined on the boundary and the (n–1)-dimensional Hausdorff measure on , we show that the semigroup generated by the Laplacian with Robin boundary conditions has always Gaussian estimates with modified exponents. We also obtain that the spectrum of the Laplacian with Robin boundary conditions in L ^p () is independent of p[1,). Our approach constitutes an alternative way to Daners who considers the (n–1)-dimensional Hausdorff measure on the boundary. In particular, it allows us to construct a conterexample disproving Daners' closability conjecture.     

On Some Isomorphism on the Category of b-Spaces

Given a nuclear b-space N, we show that if is a finite or -finite measure space and 1p, then the functors L _loc ^p (,N.) and NL ^p (,.) are isomorphic on the category of b-spaces of L. Waelbroeck.     

Implicit elliptic boundary-value problems with discontinuous nonlinearities

Let be a bounded domain in ⁿ (n3) having a smooth boundary, let be an essentially bounded real-valued function defined on × ^h, and let be a continuous real-valued function defined on a given subset Y of Y ^h. In this paper, the existence of strong solutions u W ^2,p (, ^h) W _o ^1,p (n/2<p<+) to the implicit elliptic equation (–u)=(x,u), with u=(u₁, u₂, ..., u_h) and u=(u ₁, u ₂, ..., u _h), is established. The abstract framework where the problem is placed is that of set-valued analysis.     

Total flux estimates for a finite element approximation of the Dirichlet problem using the boundary penalty method

Summary This paper considers a fully practical piecewise linear finite element approximation of the Dirichlet problem for a second order self-adjoint elliptic equation,Au=f, in a smooth region< ⁿ (n=2 or 3) by the boundary penalty method. Using an unfitted mesh; that is ^h , an approximation of with dist (, ^h )Ch ² is not in general a union of elements; and assuminguH ⁴ () we show that one can recover the total flux across a segment of the boundary of with an error ofO(h ²⁾. We use these results to study a fully practical piecewise linear finite element approximation of an elliptic equation by the boundary penalty method when the prescribed data on part of the boundary is the total flux.Supported by a SERC research studentship     

Criterion for the compactness of a class of functions of W m l (Ω), (1 <mι ≤ n)

A criterion is established for the compactness of a class of functions u(x) W _m (), (1 <m n) generalizing Morrey's criterion.Translated from Matematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 7, No. 6, pp. 733–741, June, 1970.     

Equazioni ellittiche in forma di divergenza con 2∘ membro misura su domini non limitati

Summary Let a regular open set of R n, a measure with compact support and L a second order elliptic operator in divergence form. If L is coercive we prove a theorem of existence and uniqueness for the solution of Lu=, uH ₀ ¹+H₀ ^1,p()where p is the conjugate of p[n, ].     

Parametric and non-parametric minima

We prove that if uBV() is a local minimum for the non-parametric functional F(u) associated to a parametric integrand g××ⁿ⁺¹[0,+), then the hypograph of u is locally minimizing for the parametric functionalG associated to g, among the sets of finite perimeter in ×.     

On improved regularity of weak solutions of some degenerate,Anisotropic elliptic systems

Summary We consider a (possibly) vector-valued function u: R^N, Rⁿ, minimizing the integral , 2-2/(n*1)<p<2, whereD _i u=u/x _i or some more general functional retaining the same behaviour, we prove higher integrability for Du: D₁ u,..., D_n–1 u L^p/(p-1) and D_nu L²; this result allows us to get existence of second weak derivatives: D(D₁ u),...,D(D_n–1u)L² and D(D_n u) L _p.This work has been supported by MURST and GNAFA-CNR.