The multidirectional Neumann problem in \(\mathbb R^{4}\) (Q2432022): Difference between revisions

The very interesting paper under review deals with the Neumann problem with \(L^p\) boundary data for harmonic functions in any compact polyhedral domain of \(\mathbb R^4\) that has a connected \(3\)-manifold boundary. Energy estimates are derived from new polyhedral Rellich identities together with a Whitney type decomposition of the polyhedron into similar Lipschitz domains. The classical layer potentials are thereby shown to be semi-Fredholm. To settle the onto question, the authors devise a method of continuity which uses the classical \(3\)-manifold theory of \textit{E. E. Moise} [Ann. Math. (2) 56, 96--114 (1952; Zbl 0048.17102)] in order to untwist the polyhedral boundary into a Lipschitz boundary. It is shown that this untwisting can be extended to include the interior of the domain in local neighbourhoods of the boundary. This way, the flattening arguments of \textit{B. E. J. Dahlberg} and \textit{C. E. Kenig} [Ann. Math. (2) 125, 437--465 (1987; Zbl 0658.35027)] for the \(H^1_{at}\) Neumann problem can be extended to polyhedral domains in \(\mathbb R^4.\) Examples of compact polyhedral domains are provided which show that the untwisting and flattening techniques used by the authors are unavailable in general for higher dimensional boundary value problems in polyhedra.