Harmonic functions and averages on shells (Q5947097)

Let \(f\) be a bounded Lebesgue measurable function on an open subset \(U\) of \(\mathbb{F}^d\), and let \(s,r\) be functions on \(U\) such that \(0\leq s< r\leq\text{dist} (\cdot,\partial U)\). The mean value of \(f\) on the shell \(\{y: s\leq\|y-x\|< r\}\) is denoted by \(m_{s,r}f(x)\). If \(f\) is continuous and bounded and has the restricted mean value property \(m_{s,r}f=f\), can we conclude that \(f\) is harmonic on \(U\)? In the case where \(s=0\), the authors [Acta Math. 171, 139-163 (1993; Zbl 0808.31004); J. Math. Pures Appl. (9) 74, 185-198 (1995; Zbl 0869.31004)] answered this question affirmatively (assuming in the case \(U= \mathbb{R}^d\) that \(\sup(r-\|\cdot\|)< +\infty\)). However, other work of theirs [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 50, 349-360 (1994; Zbl 0804.31001)] shows that in general the answer is negative. In the paper under review they address the question under the assumption that \(s\leq \alpha r\) for some \(\alpha\in (0,1)\). A typical result is as follows. Let \(U\) be a proper open subset of \(\mathbb{R}^d\), where \(d\geq 2\), with non-polar complement in the case \(d=2\). Let \(s,r\) be functions on \(U\) such that \(r>0\) and \(0\leq s\leq \alpha r\leq \text{dist} (\cdot,\partial U)\) for some \(\alpha< \alpha_d\); here \(\alpha_d\) is a number in \((0,1)\) for which an explicit formula in terms of \(d\) is given. Suppose that \(f\) is a bounded Lebesgue measurable function on \(U\) such that \(m_{s,r}f= f\). If either \(f\) is continuous or \(r\) is locally bounded away from zero, then \(f\) is harmonic. A similar result holds in the case where \(U\) is an open interval in \(\mathbb{R}\) and \(s\leq \alpha r\) for some \(\alpha< 1/9\). If \(U= \mathbb{R}\), then the constant \(1/9\) can be replaced by \(1/2\) but not by 0.77.