Generalized obstacle problem (Q2574036)

Fehlmann and Gardiner [\textit{R. Fehlmann} and \textit{F. P. Gardiner}, Mich. Math. J. 42, 573--591 (1995; Zbl 0859.30019)] has considered the following extremal problem for quadratic differentials, which is called the obstacle problem in the paper under review. Let \(S\) be a Riemann surface of finite topological type and \(\phi\) be an integrable holomorphic quadratic differential on \(S\) which is real on the border of \(S\). Let \(E\) be a closed subset of the interior of \(S\) having finitely many components each of which is simply connected. Consider a holomorphic and univalent mapping \(g\) of \(S-E\) into another Riemann surface \(R\) which induces an isomorphism from the fundamental group of \(S\) onto that of \(R\). To every pair \((g, R)\) there exists a holomorphic differential \(\psi\) on \(R\) whose heights on \(R\) are equal to the corresponding heights of \(\phi\) on \(S\). Fehlmann and Gardiner proved the existence and uniqueness of the extremal pair \((g,R)\) for which the supremum of \(\int_{R}| \psi| \) is attained. The author generalizes the problem to the case that \(E\) may consist of infinitely many components and corrects the uniqueness part of Fehlmann-Gardiner's result.