Optimal existence theorems for nonhomogeneous differential inclusions (Q5933457)

The paper is concerned with the solvability of the differential inclusion NEWLINE\[NEWLINE H\bigl(x,u(x),\nabla u(x)\bigr)=0,\quad u|_{\partial\Omega}=f,\quad u\in W^{1,\infty}(\Omega,{\mathbb R}^m), NEWLINE\]NEWLINE where \(f\in W^{1,\infty}(\Omega,{\mathbb R}^m)\) is piecewise affine. The approach used, based on Gromov's idea of convex integration, is a refinement of previous work by Müller and Šverák and Sychev. In the paper a general compatibility condition between the zero set of \(H\) and the range of the gradient of \(f\) is identified, sharpening previous results in the literature. In particular, no continuity or quasiconvexity of \(H\) is required. The paper contains also a detailed comparison of this method with the Baire category method, where the quasiconvexity of \(H\) plays an important role.