The obstacle problem for nonlinear integro-differential operators (Q2628987)

This paper deals with the obstacle problem (the obstacle being denoted by \(h\)) related to the following class of nonlinear integro-differential equations: \[ Lu=\text{p.v. }\int_{\mathbb{R}^n} K(x,y)|u(x)- u(y)|^{p-2} (u(x)- u(y))\,dy= 0,\;x\in\mathbb{R}^n\tag{\(*\)} \] with a measurable kernel and such that \(\Lambda^{-1}\leq K|x-y|^{n+sp}\leq\Lambda\) for some \(s\in(0,1)\), \(p>1\), \(\Lambda\geq 1\). In the case \(p= 2\), \(\Lambda=1\) we recover the fractional Laplacian operator. The authors formulate the natural variational framework for the obstacle problem under consideration and prove both the existence and uniqueness of the solution \(u\) to the above-mentioned variational problem (Theorem 1). Moreover, \(u\) is a weak supersolution to \((*)\). The solution \(u\) inherits the regularity properties of \(h\), namely the boundedness (Theorem 2), continuity (Theorem 4) and Hölder continuity (Theorem 3). Theorems 6, 7 formulated at the end of the paper study the regularity of \(u\) up to the boundary (Hölder continuity and standard continuity).