A priori interior gradient bounds for solutions to elliptic Weingarten equations (Q1102447)

As the author writes in his summary, a maximum principle approach is used to derive a priori interior gradient bounds for smooth solutions to the Weingarten equation \[ f(\lambda)\quad =\sum \lambda_{i_ 1}...\lambda_{i_ k} = \psi (x,u,\nu);\quad i_ 1<i_ 2<...<i_ k. \] Here \(\lambda =(\lambda_ 1,...,\lambda_ n)\) is the vector of principal curvatures of the graph of u at a point (x,u(x)) on the graph with the downward normal \(\nu\). One requires a onesided height bound \((u<0)\), natural structure conditions on the prescribed function \(\psi\), and the restriction that all \(\lambda\) lie in a certain cone of eigenvalues for which f is elliptic. The author constructs an interior barrier surface to the graph of u by perturbing it a little along its downward normal and then lifting this perturbed surface high enough. The result generalizes what is known to be true for the prescribed mean curvature equation.