Nonexistence of minimizers for a nonlocal perimeter with a Riesz and a background potential (Q2154572)

The paper studies non-existence of minimizers for a minimization problem in which a measurable set in \(\mathbb{R}^N\), \(N\geq 2\), with prescribed volume is searched for that minimizes an energy that is a sum of three terms: A non-local perimeter with a general kernel, a Riesz potential and the negative of a background potential. Specifically, two results are proved under suitable assumptions on (mainly the growth behavior of) the kernel: \begin{itemize} \item[1.] Any minimizer is necessarily bounded. \item[2.] There is a threshold such that if the prescribed volume is larger than this threshold, then any minimizer is necessarily unbounded. \end{itemize} In the main result, the author combines 1) and 2) to conclude that if the prescribed volume is larger than the threshold, then there are no minimizers.