Optimal control for a parametrized family of nonlinear Cauchy singular integral equations. (Q1426788)

In this paper the author discusses the existence of an optimal control and a necessary first-order optimality condition for an optimal control problem for a free boundary value problem of two-dimensional seepage flow through an earth dam. For this he uses a reformulation of the free boundary value problem as a system of a Cauchy singular integral equation including an unknown parameter \(k\in (0,1)\) and a functional equation. In Section 1 the free boundary value problem under consideration is described and the respective integral equation formulation, which will play the role of the state equation of the optimal control, is given. In Section 2 some results on the solvability of a class of nonlinear Cauchy singular integral equations of interest and the properties of their solutions are presented. Section 3 is the main part of the paper. In Section 3.1 the optimal control problem under consideration is described. In Section 3.2. and 3.4 the existence of an optimal solution and a necessary optimality condition is proved. Section 3.3 is devoted to some aspects of the solvability theory of linear Cauchy singular integral equations.