Journal Article

Local Analysis of a Two-Phase Free Boundary Problem Concerning Mean Curvature

Cavallina, Lorenzo

2022

Overview

We consider an overdetermined problem for a two-phase elliptic operator in divergence formwith piecewise constant coefficients. We look for domains such that the solution u of a Dirichlet boundary value problem also satisfies the additional property that its normal derivative ∂n u is a multiple of the radius of curvature at each point on the boundary. When the coefficients satisfy some “non-criticality” condition, we construct nontrivial solutions to this overdetermined problem employing a perturbation argument relying on shape derivatives and the implicit function theorem. Moreover, in the critical case, we employ the use of the Crandall-Rabinowitz theorem to show the existence of a branch of symmetry breaking solutions bifurcating from trivial ones. Finally, some remarks on the one-phase case and a similar overdetermined problem of Serrin type are given.

• Publisher: Indiana University Mathematics Department