Perimeter-minimizing curves and surfaces in \(\mathbf R^n\) enclosing prescribed multi-volume (Q5929566)

The author considers \(m\)-dimensional surfaces in \({\mathbb R}^n\), \(1\leq m<n\), which minimize \(m\)-dimensional area subject to having a given boundary and subject to the condition of having a given ``multi-volume'': volumes enclosed by orthogonal projections onto coordinate \((m+1)\)-planes. Very general existence and regularity theorems are obtained. The proof of the regularity theorem relies on a general variational condition concerning the mean curvature vector. In subsequent sections the author characterizes the length-minimizing curves for given multi-area and provides examples of area-minimizing surfaces for given multi-volume in case \(m=2\). The theory of calibrations is also extended to the prescribed multi-volume problem.