A proof of the \(C^{p^\prime}\)-regularity conjecture in the plane (Q2012501)

The authors establish sharp \(C^{1,\alpha}\)-regularity estimates for solutions of degenerate elliptic equations with a bounded source. More precisely, if \(B_1\subset{\mathbb R}^2\), there are considered solutions \(u\in W^{1,p}(B_1)\) of the quasilinear degenerate Poisson equation \(-\Delta_pu=f(x)\in L^\infty (B_1)\). Here, the degenerate setting corresponds to \(p>2\). The main result of this paper establishes that solutions of this problem belong to the class \(C^{1,1/(p-1)}(B_{1/2})\). The proof combines elements of the regularity of \(p\)-harmonic functions in the plane with \(C^1\)-small correctors and oscillation estimates. The method developed in this paper yields a precise control on the growth rate of the solutions near their set of critical points, where the ellipticity degenerates.