Unexpected solutions of first and second order partial differential equations (Q1126748)

Summary: This note discusses a general approach to construct Lipschitz solutions of \(Du \in K\), where \(u: \Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}^m\) and where \(K\) is a given set of \(m\times n\) matrices. The approach is an extension of Gromov's method of convex integration. One application concerns variational problems that arise in models of microstructure in solid-solid phase transitions. Another application is the systematic construction of singular solutions of elliptic systems. In particular, there exists a \(2 \times 2\) (variational) second order strongly elliptic system \( \text{div}\sigma(Du) = 0 \) that admits a Lipschitz solution which is nowhere \(C^1\).