Solutions of the Cheeger problem via torsion functions (Q541251)

In the paper, the following minimization problem, known as Cheeger problem, is considered: \[ h(\Omega) = \min_{E \subset \Omega} \frac{|\partial E|}{|E|}, \] \noindent where \(\Omega \subset R^{N}\), \(N > 1\) is a smooth and bounded domain, \(|\partial E|\) and \(|E|\) denote the \((N-1)\)-dimensional Lebegue perimeter of \(\partial E\) and the \(N\)-dimensional Lebegue volume of \(E\), respectively. The value \(h(\Omega)\) is called the Cheeger constant of \(\Omega\) and the corresponding subdomain \(E\) is called a Cheeger set of \(\Omega\). Cheeger sets are used e.g. in the modeling of landslides and in fracture mechanics. The Cheeger problem is connected with the solution of following torsional creep problem: \[ -\Delta_{p}\Phi_{p} = 1,\;\; \text{in} \;\; \Omega, \;\Phi_{p} = 0 \;\; \text{on} \;\; \partial\Omega, \] \noindent where \(\Delta_{p}u = \text{div}(|\nabla u|^{p-2}\nabla u)\) is the \(p\)-Lapliacian operator, \(p > 1\). The authors prove the equality: \[ \lim_{p \to 1^{+}} (||\Phi_{p} ||_{L^{\infty}(\Omega)})^{1-p} = h(\Omega) = \lim_{p \to 1^{+}} (||\Phi_{p} ||_{L^{1}(\Omega)})^{1-p}. \] Also some estimates of \(h(\Omega)\) are given. For a plane square such estimates are calculated.