On asymmetry and capacity (Q1177185)

Let \(\Omega\) be an open set in \(\mathbb{R}^n\), \(V_n(\Omega)\) be its (finite) \(n\)-dimensional volume, \(S_n(\partial\Omega)\) the \((n-1)\)-dimensional Hausdorff measure of \(\Omega\), \(\operatorname{cap}\Omega\) the logarithmic capacity of \(\Omega\) when \(n=2\) and the Newtonian capacity when \(n\geq 3\), and \(B^n_\rho(x)\) the ball of radius \(\rho\) with centre \(x\). Let the asymmetry of \(\Omega\) be defined as \(\alpha=\inf_x V_n(\Omega\backslash B^n_\rho(x)/V_n(\Omega))\), where \(\rho=\{V_n(\Omega)/V_n(B_1^n(0))\}^{1/n}\). This paper concerns the conjecture of L. E. Fraenkel that \[ \operatorname{cap} \Omega\geq (1+k\alpha^ 2)\operatorname{cap} B^n_\rho(0) \tag{*} \] for some constant \(k=k(n)\), at least when \(n=2\). This is known to be true when \(n=2\) and \(\Omega\) is connected [see \textit{G. Pólya} and \textit{G. Szegö}, Isoperimetric inequalities in mathematical physics. Ann. Math. Stud. 27. Princeton: Princeton University Press (1951; Zbl 0044.38301), p. 126]. For \(\alpha\) near to 0, the authors prove that \(\operatorname{cap}\Omega\geq(1+\alpha^3/2200)\sqrt{A(\Omega)/\pi}\) in \(\mathbb{R}^2\), where \(A(\Omega)\) is the area of \(\Omega\); and that \(\operatorname{cap}\Omega\geq(1+k_n\alpha^{n+1})\operatorname{cap} B^n_r(0)\) in \(\mathbb{R} n\) for \(n\geq 3\), where \(\Omega\) is bounded and convex and \(B_r^n(0)\) is the ball of the same volume as \(\Omega\). As \(\alpha\to 1\), they obtain sharp bounds on the order of \(\operatorname{cap}\) as a function of \(\alpha\) for all \(n\geq 2\); namely, if \(V_n(\Omega) = V_n(B^n_1(0))=\omega_n\) is required and \(\delta=\sup_x V_n(\Omega\cap B^n_\rho(x))/\omega_n\), then \(\inf\operatorname{cap}\Omega\) has order of magnitude \(\inf\{\rho\delta^{-1/n},\delta^{- 2/n(n-2)}\}\) for \(n\geq 3\) and \(\inf\operatorname{cap}\Omega\geq k\rho^{1- \delta}/\delta^{1/2}\) for \(n=2\). Finally, the authors obtain inequalities in both directions between the asymmetry of a convex set \(\Omega\), its diameter and its volume, involving the \((n-1)\)-dimensional Hausdorff measure of \(\partial\Omega\); and they obtain lower bounds for the asymmetry of a domain following its symmetrisation (Steiner symmetrisation if \(n=2\), Schwarz symmetrisation if \(n\geq 3)\). There are a number of interesting conjectures in the paper; for example, that if \(n=2\) then there is a constant \(A\) such that the asymmetry of the symmetrised domain from \(\Omega\) with respect to a suitable line is at least \(A\alpha(\Omega)^{3/2}\).