Calculus of variations: a differential form approach (Q1711685)

In the present paper, integrals of the form \(\int_{\Omega} f(d \omega_1,\dots, d \omega_n)\) are studied where \(m\geq 1\) is a given integer, \(1\leq k_j \leq n\) are integers, \(\omega_i\) is a \(k_j-1\) form for all \(1\leq j\leq m\) and \(f\) is a continuous function. Appropriate notions of convexity are introduced as vectorial ext. one convexity, vectorial ext. quasiconvexity and vectorial ext. polyconvexity. Weak lower semicontinuity theorems and weak continuity theorems are proved with applications to minimization problems. These results generalize the corresponding results in both classical vectorial calculus of variations and the calculus of variations for a single differential form. Existence theorems for minimization problems for vectorially ext. quasiconvex and vectorially ext. polyconvex functions, with possible explicit \(x\)-dependence are obtained. A counterexample is given to show that minimizer might not exist in general if the integrand is allowed to depend explicitly on \(\omega_i\).