On the Validity of the Maximum Principle and of the Euler--Lagrange Equation for a Minimum Problem Depending on the Gradient (Q4210197)

The problem considered here is: \[ \text{minimize }\int_\Omega(j_B(\nabla u(x))+ g(u))dx\text{ for }u\in u_0+ W_0^{1,\infty} (\Omega) \] (where \(j_B\) is the indicator function of the closed unit ball and \(\Omega\) an open bounded subset of \(\mathbb{R}^N)\). When \(g\) is differentiable and strictly monotone it is proved then that the minimum -- when it exists -- satisfies an Euler-Lagrange equation of the following form \[ \text{div} p(x)= g'\bigl(u(x) \bigr)\text{ for }p(x) \in\partial j_B\bigl(\nabla u(x)\bigr) \] when \(\partial\) denotes the subgradient of the convex function \(j_B\).