On a parametric problem of the calculus of variations without convexity assumptions (Q1206918)

This paper proves the following theorem: Let \(K\) (resp. \(B\)) be a compact (resp. closed) subset of \(\mathbb{R}^ n\). Let \(f:\mathbb{R}^ n\to\mathbb{R}\) be continuous, positive homogeneous of degree one. Furthermore, suppose that \(f\) satisfies the following growth assumption \((h_ 1)\): there exists \(\gamma>0\) such that, for every \(x'\in\mathbb{R}^ n\), \(f(x')\geq \gamma| x'|\). Then the parametric integral \(I(C)=\int_ a^ b f(x'(t))dt\) has an absolute minimum in the class of all rectifiable \(F\)-curves \(C:x=x(t)\), \(a\leq t\leq b\), satisfying the boundary conditions \(x(a)\in K\), \(x(b)\in B\). The main tool is an extension of Lyapunov's theorem on the range of vector measures.