Partial regularity of minimizers of polyconvex variational integrals (Q1434270)

The author considers vector-valued minimizers \(u :\mathbb{R}^n\supset\Omega \to\mathbb{R}^N\), \(n\geq 2\), \(N \geq 1\), of polyconvex variational integrals \[ I(u)\int_\Omega= F(x, u(x),\nabla u(x))\, dx \] where \(F\) is of \(p\)-growth w.r.t. the last argument for some exponent \(p\geq 2\), and polyconvexity means that \(F\) is a convex function of the minors of the matrix \(\nabla u\). Assuming this together with \(p > n- 1\) plus some extra technical conditions concerning the behaviour of \(F\) w.r.t. the first and second argument, the author proves that for any minimizer of class \(W_p^1\) there exists an open subset \(\widetilde\Omega\) of \(\Omega\) of full measure such that \(u\) is of class \(C^{1,\alpha}\) on \(\widetilde\Omega\). It should be noted that the case \(F =F(\nabla u)\) has been studied with the same result by many authors in recent years, we mention for example works of Giaquinta, Modica and Souček and of Fusco and Hutchinson. The more general case \(F = F(x, u(x), Vu(x))\) studied here has recently been investigated by \textit{M. Guidorzi} [Manuscr. Math. 107, No.~1, 25--41 (2002; Zbl 1003.49028)] who proved partial regularity for the case that \(n= N=p=2\).