On the 2-dimensional dual Minkowski problem (Q2357802)

A Minkowski problem consists in determining necessary and sufficient conditions for a finite Borel measure to be generated by a convex body, and it can be equivalently formulated in term of a Monge-Ampère equation. In the \(2\)-dimensional case, this non-linear equation is \[ u''(\theta) + u(\theta) = g(\theta)u^{-1}(u^2 + l u' 2)^{(2-k)/2}, \theta \in S^1,\tag{1} \] where \(g(\theta)\) is a continuous \(2\pi/m\)-periodic function with \(m \in \mathbb N\), \(k \in\mathbb R\), with \(l\in [0,1]\). The case \(l=0\) corresponds to the 2-dimensional \(L_p\) Minkowski problem with \(p = 2-k\), which has been well studied by a number of authors (see the references in the paper), and the case \(l = 1\) to the 2-dimensional dual Minkowski problem. The main result of the paper is Theorem 1.1. Let \(k \in \mathbb R\) \(l \in [0,1]\). Assume that \(g(\theta)\) is a \(2\pi/m\)-periodic continuous function with \(m \in \mathbb N\). If \(g(\theta)\) is positive and \(m > 2\), then equation (1) with \(l \in [0,1]\) is solvable for all \(k > 1\). If \(g(\theta)\) is positive and \(m = 2\), then equation (1) with \(l = 0\) is solvable for all \(k \in (1, 3)\). If the nontrivial function \(g(\theta)\) is nonnegative and \(m > 2\), then (1) with \(l = 0\) is solvable for all \(k > 1\). The proof differs from previous related results in that it does not need the Blaschke-Santaló inequality, nor an a priori estimate for the solution. Instead, it uses Poincaré's map and the Brouwer fixed point theorem to prove the existence of periodic solutions.