In this work we present a general introduction to the Signorini problem (or thin obstacle problem). It is a self-contained survey that aims to cover the main currently known results regarding the thin obstacle problem. We present the theory with some proofs: from the optimal regularity of solutions and classification of free boundary points, to more recent results on the non-regular part of the free boundary and generic regularity.
We prove optimal regularity and a detailed analysis of the free boundary of the solutions to the thin obstacle problem for nonparametric minimal surfaces with flat obstacles.
We study thin obstacle problems involving the energy functional with $p(x)$-growth. We prove higher integrability and Hölder regularity for the gradient of minimizers of the thin obstacle problems under the assumption that the variable exponent $p(x)$ is Hölder continuous.
We study the regularity of the free boundary in the fully nonlinear thin obstacle problem. Our main result establishes that the free boundary is $C^1$ near regular points.
For the thin obstacle problem, we develop a unified approach that leads to rates of convergence to blow-up profiles at contact points with integer frequencies. For these points, we also obtain a stratification result.
In this paper we give a full classification of global solutions of the obstacle problem for the fractional Laplacian (including the thin obstacle problem) with compact coincidence set and at most polynomial growth in dimension $N \geq 3$. We do this in terms of a bijection onto a set of polynomials describing the asymptotics of the solution. Furthermore we prove that coincidence sets of global solutions that are compact are also convex if the solution has at most quadratic growth.
We prove an epiperimetric inequality for the thin obstacle problem, extending the pioneering results by Weiss on the classical obstacle problem (Invent. Math. 138 (1999), no. 1, 23-50). This inequality provides the means to study the rate of converge of the rescaled solutions to their limits, as well as the regularity properties of the free boundary.
In this paper we establish the optimal interior regularity and the $C^{1,γ}$ smoothness of the regular part of the free boundary in the thin obstacle problem for a class of degenerate elliptic equations with variable coefficients.
We consider Anzellotti-type almost minimizers for the thin obstacle (or Signorini) problem with zero thin obstacle and establish their $C^{1,β}$ regularity on the either side of the thin manifold, the optimal growth away from the free boundary, the $C^{1,γ}$ regularity of the regular part of the free boundary, as well as a structural theorem for the singular set. The analysis of the free boundary is based on a successful adaptation of energy methods such as a one-parameter family of Weiss-type monotonicity formulas, Almgren-type frequency formula, and the epiperimetric and logarithmic epiperim…
In this paper, we study almost minimizers for the parabolic thin obstacle (or Signorini) problem with zero obstacle. We establish their $H^{σ,σ/2}$-regularity for every $0<σ<1$, as well as $H^{β,β/2}$-regularity of their spatial gradients on the either side of the thin space for some $0<β<1$. A similar result is also obtained for almost minimizers for the Signorini problem with variable Hölder coefficients.
In this work, we consider the singular set in the thin obstacle problem with weight $|x_{n+1}|^a$ for $a\in (-1, 1)$, which arises as the local extension of the obstacle problem for the fractional Laplacian (a non-local problem). We develop a refined expansion of the solution around its singular points by building on the ideas introduced by Figalli and Serra to study the fine properties of the singular set in the classical obstacle problem. As a result, under a superharmonicity condition on the obstacle, we prove that each stratum of the singular set is locally contained in a single $C^2$ mani…
In this paper, we consider the thin obstacle problem in $\mathbb{R}^2$ with data at infinity. We first prove the existence and uniqueness of it. Then we show that its symmetric solutions are actually half-space solutions. Our results are needed when classifying the half-space $(2k-\frac{1}{2})$-homogeneous solutions to the thin obstacle problems in $\mathbb{R}^3$. It is a generalization of one part of Savin-Yu's work \cite{savin2021halfspace} on classifying the half-space $\frac{7}{2}$-homogeneous solutions.
Variational inequalities with thin obstacles and Signorini-type boundary conditions are classical problems in the calculus of variations, arising in numerous applications. In the linear case many refined results are known, while in the nonlinear setting our understanding is still at a preliminary stage. In this paper we prove $C^1$ regularity for the solutions to a general class of quasi-linear variational inequalities with thin obstacles and $C^{1, α}$ regularity for variational inequalities under Signorini-type conditions on the boundary of a domain.
We study almost minimizers for the thin obstacle problem with variable Hölder continuous coefficients and zero thin obstacle and establish their $C^{1,β}$ regularity on the either side of the thin space. Under an additional assumption of quasisymmetry, we establish the optimal growth of almost minimizers as well as the regularity of the regular set and a structural theorem on the singular set. The proofs are based on the generalization of Weiss- and Almgren-type monotonicity formulas for almost minimizers established earlier in the case of constant coefficients.
In this article, we consider Leray solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations in the exterior of one obstacle in 3D and we study the asymptotic behavior of these solutions when the obstacle shrinks to a curve or to a surface. In particular, we will prove that a solid curve has no effect on the motion of a viscous fluid, so it is a removable singularity for these equations.
For the thin obstacle problem in 3d, we show that half-space solutions form an isolated family in the space of $7/2$-homogeneous solutions. For a general solution with one blow-up profile in this family, we establish the rate of convergence to this profile. As a consequence, we obtain regularity of the free boundary near such contact points.
In this article we study solutions to the (interior) thin obstacle problem under low regularity assumptions on the coefficients, the obstacle and the underlying manifold. Combining the linearization method of Andersson \cite{An16} and the epiperimetric inequality from \cite{FS16}, \cite{GPSVG15}, we prove the optimal $C^{1,\min\{α,1/2\}}$ regularity of solutions in the presence of $C^{0,α}$ coefficients $a^{ij}$ and $C^{1,α}$ obstacles $ϕ$. Moreover we investigate the regularity of the regular free boundary and show that it has the structure of a $C^{1,γ}$ manifold for some $γ\in (0,1)$.
In this article we investigate the higher regularity properties of the regular free boundary in the fractional thin obstacle problem. Relying on a Hodograph-Legendre transform, we show that for smooth or analytic obstacles the regular free boundary is smooth or analytic, respectively. This leads to the analysis of a fully nonlinear, degenerate (sub)elliptic operator which we identify as a (fully nonlinear) perturbation of the fractional Baouendi-Grushin Laplacian. Using its intrinsic geometry and adapted function spaces, we invoke the analytic implicit function theorem to deduce analyticity of…
We consider the problem of constrained Ginibre ensemble with prescribed portion of eigenvalues on a given curve $Γ\subset \mathbb R^2$ and relate it to a thin obstacle problem. The key step in the proof is the $H^1$ estimate for the logarithmic potential of the equilibrium measure. The coincidence set has two components: one in $Γ$ and another one in $\mathbb R^2\setminus Γ$ which are well separated. Our main result here asserts that this obstacle problem is well posed in $H^1(\mathbb R^2)$ which improves previous results in $H^1_{loc}(\mathbb R^2)$.
We consider the transmission eigenvalue problem for an impenetrable obstacle with Dirichlet boundary condition surrounded by a thin layer of non-absorbing inhomogeneous material. We derive a rigorous asymptotic expansion for the first transmission eigenvalue with respect to the thickness of the thin layer. Our convergence analysis is based on a Max-Min principle and an iterative approach which involves estimates on the corresponding eigenfunctions. We provide explicit expressions for the terms in the asymptotic expansion up to order three.
We study the singular set in the thin obstacle problem for degenerate parabolic equations with weight $|y|^a$ for $a \in (-1,1)$. Such problem arises as the local extension of the obstacle problem for the fractional heat operator $(\partial_t - Δ_x)^s$ for $s \in (0,1)$. Our main result establishes the complete structure and regularity of the singular set of the free boundary. To achieve it, we prove Almgren-Poon, Weiss, and Monneau type monotonicity formulas which generalize those for the case of the heat equation ($a=0$).
In this paper we give a comprehensive treatment of a two-penalty boundary obstacle problem for a divergence form elliptic operator, motivated by applications to fluid dynamics and thermics. Specifically, we prove existence, uniqueness and optimal regularity of solutions, and establish structural properties of the free boundary. The proofs are based on tailor-made monotonicity formulas of Almgren, Weiss, and Monneau-type, combined with the classical theory of oblique derivative problems.
We discuss some regularity issues in the study of the obstacle problem. In particular, we present a recent result by O. Savin and the author on the regularity of the singular set for the obstacle problem with a fully nonlinear elliptic operator. This survey is based on a lecture by the author at the 8th International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians.
We study the regularity of the viscosity solution to the fully nonlinear parabolic thin obstacle problem. In particular, we prove that the solution is local $H^{1+α}$ on each side of the smooth obstacle, for some small $α>0.$ Following the method which was first introduced for the harmonic case by Caffarelli in 1979, we extend the results of Fernández-Real (2016) who treated the fully nonlinear elliptic case. Our results also extend those of Chatzigeorgiou (2019) in two ways. First, we do not assume solutions nor operators to be symmetric. Second, our estimates are local, in the sense that do …
We consider elliptic variational inequalities generated by obstacle type problems with thin obstacles. For this class of problems, we deduce estimates of the distance (measured in terms of the natural energy norm) between the exact solution and any function that satisfies the boundary condition and is admissible with respect to the obstacle condition (i.e., it is valid for any approximation regardless of the method by which it was found). Computation of the estimates does not require knowledge of the exact solution and uses only the problem data and an approximation. The estimates provide guar…
A developable cone ("d-cone") is the shape made by an elastic sheet when it is pressed at its center into a hollow cylinder by a distance $ε$. Starting from a nonlinear model depending on the thickness $h > 0$ of the sheet, we prove a $Γ$-convergence result as $h \rightarrow 0$ to a fourth-order obstacle problem for curves in $\mathbb{S}^2$. We then describe the exact shape of minimizers of the limit problem when $ε$ is small. In particular, we rigorously justify previous results in the physics literature.
We prove $C^{1, α}$ regularity (in the parabolic sense) for the viscosity solution of a boundary obstacle problem with a fully nonlinear parabolic equation in the interior. Following the method which was first introduced for the harmonic case by L. Caffarelli in 1979, we extend the results of I. Athanasopoulos (1982) who studied the linear parabolic case and the results of E. Milakis and L. Silvestre (2008) who treated the fully nonlinear elliptic case.
In this paper we study the existence, the optimal regularity of solutions, and the regularity of the free boundary near the so-called \emph{regular points} in a thin obstacle problem that arises as the local extension of the obstacle problem for the fractional heat operator $(\partial_t - Δ_x)^s$ for $s \in (0,1)$. Our regularity estimates are completely local in nature. This aspect is of crucial importance in our forthcoming work on the blowup analysis of the free boundary, including the study of the singular set. Our approach is based on first establishing the boundedness of the time-derivat…
The focus of this paper is on a thin obstacle problem where the obstacle is defined on the intersection between a hyper-plane $Γ$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$ and a periodic perforation $\mathcal{T}_\varepsilon$ of $\mathbb{R}^n$, depending on a small parameter $\varepsilon>0$. As $\varepsilon\to 0$, it is crucial to estimate the frequency of intersections and to determine this number locally. This is done using strong tools from uniform distribution. By employing classical estimates for the discrepancy of sequences of type $\{kα\}_{k=1}^\infty$, $α\in\R$, we are able to extract rather precise informatio…
This article deals with the variable coefficient thin obstacle problem in $n+1$ dimensions. We address the regular free boundary regularity, the behavior of the solution close to the free boundary and the optimal regularity of the solution in a low regularity set-up. We first discuss the case of zero obstacle and $W^{1,p}$ metrics with $p\in(n+1,\infty]$. In this framework, we prove the $C^{1,α}$ regularity of the regular free boundary and derive the leading order asymptotic expansion of solutions at regular free boundary points. We further show the optimal $C^{1,\min\{1-\frac{n+1}{p}, \frac{1…
In this article we continue our investigation of the thin obstacle problem with variable coefficients which was initiated in \cite{KRS14}, \cite{KRSI}. Using a partial Hodograph-Legendre transform and the implicit function theorem, we prove higher order Hölder regularity for the regular free boundary, if the associated coefficients are of the corresponding regularity. For the zero obstacle this yields an improvement of a \emph{full derivative} for the free boundary regularity compared to the regularity of the metric. In the presence of non-zero obstacles or inhomogeneities, we gain \emph{three…
In this work we study the asymptotic behavior of solutions of the incompressible two-dimensional Euler equations in the exterior of a single smooth obstacle when the obstacle becomes very thin tending to a curve. We extend results by Iftimie, Lopes Filho and Nussenzveig Lopes, obtained in the context of an obstacle tending to a point, see [Comm. PDE, {\bf 28} (2003), 349-379].
In this article we present a new strategy of addressing the (variable coefficient) thin obstacle problem. Our approach is based on a (variable coefficient) Carleman estimate. This yields semi-continuity of the vanishing order, lower and uniform upper growth bounds of solutions and sufficient compactness properties in order to carry out a blow-up procedure. Moreover, the Carleman estimate implies the existence of homogeneous blow-up limits along certain sequences and ultimately leads to an almost optimal regularity statement. As it is a very robust tool, it allows us to consider the problem in …
For the thin obstacle problem, we prove by a new direct method that in any dimension the Weiss' energies with frequency $\frac32$ and $2m$, for $m\in \mathbb N$, satisfy an epiperimetric inequality, in the latter case of logarithmic type. In particular, at difference from the classical statements, we do not assume any a priori closeness to a special class of homogeneous functions. In dimension $2$, we also prove the epiperimetric inequality at any free boundary point. As a first application, we improve the set of admissible frequencies for blow ups, previously known to be $λ\in \{\frac32\} \cu…
We consider various versions of the obstacle and thin-obstacle problems, we interpret them as variational inequalities, with non-smooth constraint, and prove that they satisfy a new constrained Lojasiewicz inequality. The difficulty lies in the fact that, since the constraint is non-analytic, the pioneering method of L. Simon (Ann. of Math. 118(3), 1983) does not apply and we have to exploit a better understanding on the constraint itself. We then apply this inequality to two associated problems. First we combine it with an abstract result on parabolic variational inequalities, to prove the co…
In [Lacave, IHP, ana, to appear (2008)] the author considered the two dimensional Euler equations in the exterior of a thin obstacle shrinking to a curve and determined the limit velocity. In the present work, we consider the same problem in the viscous case, proving convergence to a solution of the Navier-Stokes equations in the exterior of a curve. The uniqueness of the limit solution is also shown.
We use a characterization of the fractional Laplacian as a Dirichlet to Neumann operator for an appropriate differential equation to study its obstacle problem. We write an equivalent characterization as a thin obstacle problem. In this way we are able to apply local type arguments to obtain sharp regularity estimates for the solution and study the regularity of the free boundary.
We study the Plateau problem with a lower dimensional obstacle in $\mathbb{R}^n$. Intuitively, in $\mathbb{R}^3$ this corresponds to a soap film (spanning a given contour) that is pushed from below by a "vertical" 2D half-space (or some smooth deformation of it). We establish almost optimal $C^{1,1/2-}$ estimates for the solutions near points on the free boundary of the contact set, in any dimension $n\ge 2$. The $C^{1,1/2-}$ estimates follow from an $\varepsilon$-regularity result for minimal surfaces with thin obstacles in the spirit of the De Giorgi's improvement of flatness. To prove it, w…
We study a Caputo time fractional degenerate diffusion equation which we prove to be equivalent to the fractional parabolic obstacle problem, showing that its solution evolves for any $α\in(0,1)$ to the same stationary state, the solution of the classic elliptic obstacle problem. The only thing which changes with $α$ is the convergence speed. We also study the problem from the numerical point of view, comparing some finite different approaches, and showing the results of some tests. These results extend what recently proved in [1] for the case $α=1$.
We prove under general assumptions that solutions of the thin obstacle or Signorini problem in any space dimension achieve the optimal regularity $C^{1,1/2}$. This improves the known optimal regularity results by allowing the thin obstacle to be defined in an arbitrary $C^{1,β}$ hypersurface, $β>1/2$, additionally, our proof covers any linear elliptic operator in divergence form with smooth coefficients. The main ingredients of the proof are a version of Almgren's monotonicity formula and the optimal regularity of global solutions.
We consider the propagation of acoustic waves in a 2D waveguide unbounded in one direction and containing a compact obstacle. The wavenumber is fixed so that only one mode can propagate. The goal of this work is to propose a method to cloak the obstacle. More precisely, we add to the geometry thin outer resonators of width $\varepsilon$ and we explain how to choose their positions as well as their lengths to get a transmission coefficient approximately equal to one as if there were no obstacle. In the process we also investigate several related problems. In particular, we explain how to get ze…
It is proved that a connected polygonal obstacle coated by thin layers together with its surface impedance function can be determined uniquely from the far field pattern of a single incident plane wave. Our proof is based on the Schwarz reflection principle for the Helmholtz equation satisfying the impedance boundary condition on a flat boundary.
Scuola Normale Superiore（高等师范学院）；EPFL SB MATH Institute of Mathematics（洛桑联邦理工学院数学研究所）；Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas（西班牙国家研究委员会数学科学研究所）
This paper gives a note on an application of the enclosure method to an inverse obstacle scattering problem governed by the Helmholtz equation in two dimensions. It is shown that one can uniquely determine the convex hull of an unknown sound-hard polygonal obstacle from the trace of the total wave that was exerted by a single point source onto a known circle surrounding the obstacle provided the source is sufficiently far from the obstacle. The result contains a formula that extracts the value of the support function of the obstacle at a generic direction. Some other applications to thin obsta…
