Compactness for maps minimizing the \(n\)-energy under a free boundary constraint (Q5928174)

The paper is devoted to the relations between the \(n\)-energy \[ E(v):=\int_B |Dv|^n dx \] and the homotopy classes of maps \(u:\partial B\to X\), where \(B\) is a ball in \({\mathbf R}^n\) and \(X\subset{\mathbf R}^N\) is a compact set. Here \(u\) belongs to the space of traces of \(W^{1,n}(B;{\mathbf R}^N)\) maps and the energy associated to \(u\) is the energy of the minimal extension \(v\) of \(u\) to \(B\). After some preliminary discussion on the homotopy classes for this class of maps, the author investigates the behaviour of sequences \((u_h)\) bounded in energy, showing the existence of a subsequence \((u_{h(k)})\) converging to a weak limit set, i.e., a family of maps \((v_i)\) such that \(u_{h(k)}\circ h^i_k\) converge as \(k\to\infty\) to \(v_i\) for suitable mutually diverging automorphisms \(h_k^i\) of the ball. For energy minimizing sequences, each \(v_i\) is energy minimizing in its own homotopy class. As a consequence, under a suitable additional technical condition, the author shows the existence of energy minimizing maps in a given homotopy class.