Exercises on the theme of continuous symmetrization (Q2228030)

If \(\Omega \subset \mathbb{C}\) is a bounded simply connected domain in the plane whose boundary is a Jordan curve, \(dA\) is the area measure on \(\Omega\), and \(C^1_0\left(\overline{\Omega}\right)\) is the space of continuously differentiable functions on \(\overline{\Omega}\) that vanish on the boundary, then \[ P(\Omega) = \sup_{u \in C^1_0\left(\overline{\Omega}\right)} \frac{ 4 \left( \int_\Omega u(z)dA(z) \right)^2 }{\int_{\Omega} |\nabla u(z)|^2 dA(z) } \] is called the torsional rigidity of \(\Omega\), and \[ \Lambda^2(\Omega) = \inf_{u \in C^1_0\left(\overline{\Omega}\right)} \frac{\int_{\Omega} |\nabla u(z)|^2 dA(z) }{ \int_\Omega (u(z))^2dA(z)} \] is called the principal frequency of \(\Omega\). The torsional rigidity of a cylindrical beam quantifies its ability to resist twisting when \(\Omega\) is the cross-section of the beam. If \(\Omega\) is viewed as a uniformly stretched elastic membrane of a drum fixed along the boundary \(\partial\Omega\), then \(\Lambda\) is the lowest bass tone of this drum. If \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are real numbers such that \(0<\alpha<\pi\) and \(0<\beta<\pi-\alpha\), and \(T(\alpha,\beta)\) is a triangle having angles of opening \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) at its vertices \(v_1\) and \(v_2\) situated at the points \(v_1=0\) and \(v_2=\sqrt{2(\cot\alpha+\cot\beta)}\) and with the third vertex at the point \(v_3\) such that \(\text{Im}\,v_3>0\). A simple geometric calculation shows that \(\text{area}(T(\alpha,\beta))=1\) for all \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\). If \(P(\alpha,\beta)\) is the torsional rigidity and \(\Lambda(\alpha,\beta)\) is the principal frequency of \(T(\alpha,\beta)\), then, for a fixed \(\alpha\), the graphs of \(P(\alpha,\beta)\) and \(\Lambda(\alpha,\beta)\) considered as functions of \(\beta\) are symmetric with respect to the line \(\beta=(\pi -\alpha)/2\). The author shows that these functions are monotone on the interval \(0<\beta\le(\pi-\alpha)/2\) by proving that, for any fixed angle \(\alpha\), \(0<\alpha<\pi\), the torsional rigidity \(P(\alpha,\beta)\) of the triangle \(T(\alpha,\beta)\) is a strictly increasing function of \(\beta\) on the interval \(0<\beta\le(\pi-\alpha)/2\), and the principal frequency \(P(\alpha,\beta)\) of \(T(\alpha,\beta)\) is a strictly decreasing function of \(\beta\) on this interval. In particular, for all \(\beta\) in the interval \(0<\beta<\pi-\alpha\) such that \(\beta\ne(\pi-\alpha)/2\), \[ P(\alpha,\beta) < P(\alpha,(\pi-\alpha)/2)\ \ \ \text{and}\ \ \ \Lambda(\alpha,\beta) > \Lambda(\alpha,(\pi-\alpha)/2). \] The second main result of this paper follows from this one and states that among all right triangles with area \(A>0\), the one with largest torsional rigidity is the isosceles right triangle. The proofs of these results employ a geometric transformation, called continuous symmetrization, introduced by \textit{G. Pólya} and \textit{G. Szegő} [Isoperimetric inequalities in mathematical physics. Princeton: Princeton University Press (1951; Zbl 0044.38301)]. Also, the author discusses the Pólya-Szegő continuous symmetrization and its applications to isoperimetric inequalities, and presents some examples demonstrating how continuous symmetrization can be applied to study properties of simple shapes.