Minimizers of the \(W^{1, 1}\)-energy of \(\mathbb{S}^1\)-valued maps with prescribed singularities. Do they exist? (Q1626679)

The paper is concerned with the least \(W^{1,1}\)-energy required to produce maps from a domain \(\Omega \subset \mathbb R^2\) with values into \(S^1\) having prescribed singularities. Moreover, the authors discuss the asymptotic behavior of minimizing sequences. Concerning the multiple singularities, the authors prove a simple case of non-existence. They are also interested to find a tractable necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a minimizer and, later, present some regularity results, for example continuity for the minimizers, assuming that they exist. The methods used rely on the coarea formula for Sobolev maps and a consequence of this formula. Let us point out that the paper is enriched by several simple and useful examples.