Harmonic maps with potential from \(\mathbb{R}^2\) into \(S^2\) (Q2520705)

A map \(u : M \to N\) between Riemannian manifolds is called harmonic if it is a critical point of the energy functional \(E(u)\). For a potential function \(H : N \to {\mathbb R}\), a map \(u : M \to N\) is called a harmonic map with potential \(H\) if it is a critical points of the functional \[ F(u) = E(u) + \int_M H(u)\, dv_M. \] In this paper, the author considers the existence problem of harmonic maps with potential in the special case where \((M, g)\) is the Euclidean \(2\)-plane \({\mathbb R}^2\), and \((N, h)\) is the unit \(2\)-sphere \(S^2\) in \({\mathbb R}^3\). Assume that \(H(x) = G(d(x))\) for a function \(G : [0, \pi] \to {\mathbb R}\), where \(d(x)\) denotes the geodesic distance from \(x\) to the north pole. The author proves that if the function \(G\) is a primitive of a function satisfying some conditions, there exists a harmonic map with potential \(H\) from \({\mathbb R}^2\) into \(S^2\).