On the Euler-Lagrange equation of a functional by Pólya and Szegö (Q2628979)

In this paper, the classes of sets \[ \begin{aligned} &{\mathcal K}^3=\big\{K\subset{\mathbb R}^3,\;K\text{ convex and compact, }{\mathcal H}^2(K)>0\big\}\\ &{\mathcal K}^3_0=\big\{K\in{\mathcal K}^3,\;K\text{ has a nonempty interior}\big\}\end{aligned} \] are considered, together with the shape cost functional \[ {\mathcal F}(K)={(\operatorname{Cap}K)^2\over P(K)}\;. \] Here \(\operatorname{Cap}K\) is the capacity of the set \(K\) and \(P(K)\) is the \textit{``reduced perimeter''} which coincides with \(2{\mathcal H}^2(K)\) when \(K\) is a planar set. The Pólya and Szegö conjecture, still open, affirms that the planar disks in \({\mathbb R}^3\) minimize the functional \({\mathcal F}\) on \({\mathcal K}^3\) and that they are the only minimizers. In [\textit{G. Crasta} et al., Z. Angew. Math. Phys. 56, No. 5, 763--782 (2005; Zbl 1109.31003)] it is shown that the functional \({\mathcal F}\) has a minimum \(\bar K\) in \({\mathcal K}^3\), and this reduces the Pólya and Szegö conjecture to prove that \(\bar K\) must have an empty interior. In [\textit{D. Bucur} et al., ESAIM, Control Optim. Calc. Var. 18, No. 3, 693--711 (2012; Zbl 1253.49031)] this is shown under some additional smoothness assumptions on \(\bar K\). In the present paper, the authors relax these conditions and prove that a set \(K\in{\mathcal K}^3_0\) cannot be optimal for the functional \({\mathcal F}\) under the additional conditions \[ {\mathcal H}^1(\partial K\setminus\operatorname{reg}\partial K)=0,\qquad{\mathcal H}^1(S^2\setminus\operatorname{regn}K)=0,\qquad\tau_K(S^2\setminus\operatorname{regn}K)\text{ is closed.} \] Here \(\operatorname{reg}K\) is the set of \textit{``regular points''} of \(\partial K\), \(\operatorname{regn}K\) is the set of \textit{``regular normal vectors''}, and \(\tau_K(S^2\setminus\operatorname{regn}K)\) is the set of \textit{``flat points''}, suitably defined.