\(L^2\) well-posedness of planar div-curl systems (Q5955066)

The governing equations of magneto- and electro-statics are of the form \[ \text{curl} v=w,\text{ div} Ev=\rho, \] where \(v\) stands for the magnetic or electric field, respectively. In the magnetic case \(\rho=0\), and \(\omega\) is a given current density and \(E\) stands for the magnetic permeability, in the electric case \(\rho\) is a given charge density and \(E\) would correspond to the dielectricity of the medium. If the data are independent of one of the coordinates these equations reduce to the two-dimensional system \(\partial_1 v_2- \partial_2v_1= \omega\), \(\partial_1\varepsilon_{11} v_1+ \partial_1 \varepsilon_{12} v_2+\partial_2 \varepsilon_{21} v_1+\partial_2 \varepsilon_{22} v_2=\rho\). In bounded, connected planar regions \(\Omega\) suitable boundary conditions have to be added. The authors consider the natural boundary constraints suggested by the operators involved, i.e. \[ \nu\cdot Ev=\mu \text{ or }\tau\cdot v=\sigma \] either separately or mixed (on different parts of the \(C^{1,1}\)-boundary). Here \(\nu\) denotes the exterior normal and \(\tau=(-\nu_2,\nu_2)^\top\) is the counterclockwise oriented unit tangent vector. The solution theory for this situation is presented. While in the case of one type of boundary condition the possibility of harmonic vector fields as homogeneous solutions has to be taken into account, the authors show that mixing both types of boundary constraints removes the compatibility requirement for the data \(\omega,\rho, \mu,\sigma\) (which in the other cases are induced by Stokes theorem).