On a necessary condition in the calculus of variations (Q2367306)

On a bounded domain \(\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^ N\) a functional in one of the forms \[ J(u)= \int_ \Omega f(x,u)dx,\quad\text{or}\quad J(u)=\int_ \Omega f(x,\nabla u)dx \] is considered. A functional is termed weakly lower semicontinuous at a level set if its value on the level set does not increase when the level set is weakly closed. The main result of the paper is the following: If a functional is lower semicontinuous at a level set, then either its value on the level set is an extreme value or the integrand \(f\) in the definition of the functional is convex in its second argument. If, in addition, the level set is weakly closed, \(f(x,\cdot)\) is actually affine for almost all \(x\in \Omega\). The functional is studied in appropriate Sobolev space.