On the existence of Evans potentials (Q2392800)

It is well known that, for any non-polar compact subset \(K\) of \(\mathbb{R}^{2}\), there exists a positive harmonic function \(h\) on \(\mathbb{R}^{2}\backslash K\) which tends to \(\infty \) at infinity. Such functions are called Evans potentials. They do not exist in \(\mathbb{R}^{d}\) \((d\geq 3)\), but are known to exist on parabolic Riemann surfaces. A corollary of the main result of the present paper says that they exist on non-compact parabolic Riemannian manifolds. The authors work more generally in a non-compact connected Brelot harmonic space \(X\) where constants are the only positive superharmonic functions. Assuming that \(K\) is a compact subset of \(X\) such that \(X\backslash K\) admits a symmetric Green function, they show that there exists a non-negative harmonic function on \(X\backslash K\) that tends to \(\infty \) at infinity. They further show that this conclusion may fail without the assumption of symmetry on the Green function.