Variations of pseudoconvex domains over \({\mathbb{C}}^ n\) (Q583432)

Let D denote an unramified covering domain over \({\mathbb{C}}^ n\) bounded by smooth surfaces \(\partial D\) and fix a point \(\zeta\in D\). The author studies variations D(t) of D parametrized by a parameter \(t\in B\) \(=\) a disk \(\subset C\) such that \(\zeta\in D(t)\). The Robin constant \(\lambda\) for (D,\(\zeta)\) defined through the Green function with pole at \(\zeta\) becomes a real-valued function \(\lambda\) (t) determined through (D(t),\(\zeta)\). Under the assumption that the set \({\mathcal D}=\{(t,z):\) \(t\in B\), \(z\in D(t)\}\) is a pseudoconvex domain in \(B\times {\mathbb{C}}^ n\) (n\(\geq 2)\), the author proves that \(\log (-\lambda (t))\) is a subharmonic function on B. In the case of real Euclidean space \(R^ m\), \(m\geq 3\), when t varies over a real interval I and D(t) varies in \(R^ m\), and assuming that \({\mathcal D}=\{(t,x):\) \(t\in I\), \(x\in D(t)\}\) is a convex domain in \(I\times R^ m\), the author also proves that \[ (m- 2)d^ 2 \log (-\lambda (t))/dt^ 2\geq | d \log (-\lambda (t))/dt|^ 2, \] implying that both log(-\(\lambda\) (t)) and - \(\lambda\) (t) are convex functions on I. When \(m=3\), the classical case in the study of electricity, there is also a result establishing the logarithmic convexity of the capacity and of the total energy of variable conductors that satisfy a suitable convexity condition. The long and difficult arguments are carefully written out; there are many interesting details, applications and examples. The work represents a generalization of the author's earlier studies of the case when \(n=1\).