Higher Critical Points in an Elliptic Free Boundary Problem

We study higher critical points of the variational functional associated with a free boundary problem related to plasma confinement. Existence and regularity of minimizers in elliptic free boundary problems have already been studied extensively. But because the functionals are not smooth, standard variational methods cannot be used directly to prove the existence of higher critical points. Here we find a nontrivial critical point of mountain pass type and prove many of the same estimates known for minimizers, including Lipschitz continuity and nondegeneracy. We then show that the free boundary is smooth in dimension 2 and prove partial regularity in higher dimensions.     

具Hardy-Sobolev界指数的非齐次椭圆方程的正解

讨论-类具Hardy-Sobolev临界指数的非齐次半线性椭圆方程,通过应用Lions集中紧性原理建立了S_μ(Q)的极小函数,再结合Ekeland变分原理、山路引理和Nehari流形的分析方法证明了方程在适当条件下正解的存在性与多重性.     

A two-well structure and intrinsic mountain pass points

Under small dead-load perturbations, and the natural boundary value condition (Neumann problem), we establish the existence of an unstable critical point (mountain pass point) for a variational integral with a two-well structure. The integrands we consider are obtained by the quasiconvex relaxation [18] of the squared distance function and its quasiconvex lower bounds. The models are m otivated by the variational approach to material microstructure when the wells are incompatible. We show that these functions give quasimonotone gradient mappings. We introduce the weak Palais-Smale condition (weak PS) to deal with the lack of compactness in the borderline case where the integrand is . Received March 1, 1999 / Accepted March 29, 2000 / Published online December 8, 2000     

The Global Optimization of Variational Problems with Discontinuous Solutions

We consider variational problems in which the slope of the admissible curves is not necessarily bounded, so that they admit discontinuous solutions. A problem is first reformulated as one consisting of the minimization of an integral in a space of functions satisfying a set of integral equalities; this is then transfered to a nonstandard framework, in which Loeb measures take the place of the functions and a near-minimizer can always be found. This is mapped back to the standard world by means of the standard part map; its image is a minimizer, so that the optimization is global. The minimizer is shown to be the solution of an infinite dimensional linear program and by well-proven approximation procedures a finite dimensional linear program is found by means of which nearly-optimal curves can be constructed for the original problem. A numerical example is given.     

Characterization of energy minimizers in micromagnetics

We present a new characterization of minimizing sequences and possible minimizers (all called the minimizing magnetizations) for a nonlocal micromagnetic-like energy (without the exchange energy). Our method is to replace the nonlocal energy functional and its relaxation with certain local integral functionals on divergence-free fields obtained by a two-step minimization of some auxiliary augmented functionals. Through this procedure, the minimization problem becomes equivalent to the minimization of a new local variational functional, called the dual variational functional, which has a unique minimizer. We then precisely characterize the minimizing magnetizations of original nonlocal functionals in terms of the unique minimizer of the dual variational functional. Finally, we give some remarks and ideas on solving the dual minimization problem.     

Local regularity of solutions of variational problems for the equilibrium configuration of an incompressible, multiphase elastic body

We consider a multiphase, incompressible, elastic body with k preferred states whose equilibrium configuration is described in terms of a nonconvex variational problem. We pass to a suitable relaxed variational integral whose solution has the meaning of the strain tensor and also study the associated dual problem for the stresses. At first we show that the strain tensor is smooth near any point of strict -quasiconvexity of the relaxed integrand. Then we use this result to get regularity of the stress tensor on the union of pure phases at least in the two-dimensional case. Received July 1999     

Optimality Conditions and Characterizations of the Solution Sets in Generalized Convex Problems and Variational Inequalities

We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for optimality of a problem with a pseudoconvex objective function, provided that a finite number of solutions are known. In particular, we see that the gradient of the objective function at every minimizer is a product of some positive function and the gradient of the objective function at another fixed minimizer. We apply this condition to provide several complete characterizations of the solution sets of set-constrained and inequality-constrained nonlinear programming problems with pseudoconvex and second-order pseudoconvex objective functions in terms of a known solution. Additionally, we characterize the solution sets of the Stampacchia and Minty variational inequalities with a pseudomonotone-star map, provided that some solution is known.     

A mountain pass method for the numerical solution of semilinear wave equations

Summary It is well-known that periodic solutions of semilinear wave equations can be obtained as critical points of related functionals. In the situation that we studied, there is usually an obvious solution obtained as a solution of linear problem. We formulate a dual variational problem in such a way that the obvious solution is a local minimum. We then find additional non-obvious solutions via a numerical mountain pass algorithm, based on the theorems of Ambrosetti, Rabinowitz and Ekeland. Numerical results are presented.Research supported in part by grant DMS-9208636 from the National Science FoundationResearch supported in part by grant DMS-9102632 from the National Science Foundation     

Sur le Spectre de Fucik du p-Laplacien

We prove the existence of a first non-trivial curve in the Fucik spectrum of the p-Laplacian. This yields in particular a variational characterization of the second eigenvalue of the p-Laplacian by a mountain pass procedure. An application to the study of the existence of solution for an equation of the form −Δ_pu = ƒ(x,u) is given.     

Weak minimizers,minimizers and variational inequalities for set-valued functions. A blooming wreath?

Recently, necessary and sufficient conditions in terms of variational inequalities have been introduced to characterize minimizers of convex set-valued functions. Similar results have been proved for a weaker concept of minimizers and weaker variational inequalities. The implications are proved using scalarization techniques that eventually provide original problems, not fully equivalent to the set-valued counterparts. Therefore, we try, in the course of this note, to close the network among the various notions proposed. More specifically, we prove that a minimizer is always a weak minimizer, and a solution to the stronger variational inequality always also a solution to the weak variational inequality of the same type. As a special case, we obtain a complete characterization of efficiency and weak efficiency in vector optimization by set-valued variational inequalities and their scalarizations. Indeed, this might eventually prove the usefulness of the set optimization approach to renew the study of vector optimization.     

Gluing a mountain pass solution to a minimum

This paper presents a variational method for constructing solutions of a pendulum model equation that shadow a mountain pass solution glued to a minimum of the associated functional. It allows for more degenerate situations and gives more qualitative information than the classical Poincare-Birkhoff-Smale theory. Dedicated to the memory of Jürgen Moser     

On two-dimensional parametric variational problems

Let be a two-dimensional parametric variational integral the Lagrangian F(x,z) of which is positive definite and elliptic, and suppose that is a closed rectifiable Jordan curve in . We then prove that there is a conformally parametrized minimizer of in the class of surfaces of the type of the disk B which are bounded by . An immediate consequence of this theorem is that the Dirichlet integral and the area functional have the same infima, a result whose proof usually requires a Lichtenstein-type mapping theorem or else Morrey's lemma on -conformal mappings. In addition we show that the minimizer of is H?lder continuous in B, and even in if satisfies a chord-arc condition. In Section 1 it is described how our results are related to classical investigations, in particular to the work of Morrey. Without difficulty our approach can be carried over to two-dimensional surfaces of codimension greater than one. Received July 20, 1998 / Accepted October 23, 1998     

Existence of solutions for fractional differential equation with p-Laplacian through variational method

In this paper, a class of fractional differential equation with p-Laplacian operator is studied based on the variational approach. Combining the mountain pass theorem with iterative technique, the existence of at least one nontrivial solution for our equation is obtained. Additionally, we demonstrate the application of our main result through an example.     

Regularizations for Stochastic Linear Variational Inequalities

This paper applies the Moreau–Yosida regularization to a convex expected residual minimization (ERM) formulation for a class of stochastic linear variational inequalities. To have the convexity of the corresponding sample average approximation (SAA) problem, we adopt the Tikhonov regularization. We show that any cluster point of minimizers of the Tikhonov regularization for the SAA problem is a minimizer of the ERM formulation with probability one as the sample size goes to infinity and the Tikhonov regularization parameter goes to zero. Moreover, we prove that the minimizer is the least \(l_2\) -norm solution of the ERM formulation. We also prove the semismoothness of the gradient of the Moreau–Yosida and Tikhonov regularizations for the SAA problem.     

Regularity of almost minimizers of quasi-convex variational integrals with subquadratic growth

We prove a small excess regularity theorem for almost minimizers of a quasi-convex variational integral of subquadratic growth. The proof is direct, and it yields an optimal modulus of continuity for the derivative of the almost minimizer. The result is new for general almost minimizers, and in the case of absolute minimizers it considerably simplifies the existing proof. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000) 49N60, 26B25     

On the existence ofG-symmetric entire solutions for semilinear elliptic equations

We prove the existence of at least two solutions of problem (1). The proof is based on the mountain pass theorem and Ekeland’s variational principle.     

一类具有变号位势Kirchhoff型方程解的存在性

该文研究了一类带有变号位势非线性项的Kirchhoff型方程的Neumann边值问题.利用变分方法,首先对空间进行分解,证明了该问题的能量泛函满足山路结构;然后证明了能量泛函的(PS)序列有强收敛的子列;最后通过Ekeland变分原理和山路引理,获得了该问题两个非平凡解的存在性.     

On the system of anisotropic discrete BVPs

We investigate the existence of solutions of the system of anisotropic discrete boundary value problems using critical point theory. We apply direct variational approach, the Ky Fan min–max inequality and the mountain pass lemma.     

An analysis of two variational models for speckle reduction of ultrasound images

In this paper, we consider two variational models for speckle reduction of ultrasound images. By employing the G-convergence argument we show that the solution of the SO model coincides with the minimizer of the JY model. Furthermore, we incorporate the split Bregman technique to propose a fast alterative algorithm to solve the JY model. Some numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.     

A variational approach to the stock–recruitment relationship in fish population dynamic

We deal with a variational model of the stock–recruitment (S‐R) relationship in fish dynamic. In this model, the S‐R relationship is characterized as a minimizer of a suitable integral energy functional. By basic tools of Calculus of Variations, a necessary condition is derived. As application, the derived condition is used to test the equilibrium of the recruitment level. An exploratory numerical procedure is also discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.