A geometrical approach to monotone functions in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) (Q1297991)

The paper is devoted to a systematic analysis of the properties of monotone functions on \(\mathbb R^n\). For instance, the authors indicate how to introduce the right definitions of Jacobian determinant or graph area for maximal monotone functions. They also review the fine properties of monotone functions such as the continuity, differentiability and approximability by smooth functions. The structure of the distributional derivatives of monotone functions is investigated. The last section is dedicated to the construction of an example of a maximal monotone function whose weak Jacobian has a nontrivial structure. Namely, using a method related to the construction of Hutchinson's self-similar fractals they construct a Hölder continuous monotone function \(u: \mathbb R^2 \to \mathbb R^2\) such that its weak Jacobian \(Ju\) is supported on a Lebesgue negligible, purely unrectifiable set \(A\), and such that \(\det(\nabla u) = 0\) almost everywhere in \(\mathbb R^2\). Moreover, \(u\) is the gradient of a convex function of class \(C^1 \cap W^{2,p}\) for every \(p < 2\). Finally, they discuss the possibility of closure theorems (in analogy with the theory of SBV functions) for special classes of monotone functions (e.g., monotone functions on the plane whose distributional derivative and weak Jacobian can be written as a sum of integer dimensional measures).