From best constants to critical functions (Q5947233)

Let \((M,g)\) be a smooth compact Riemannian \(n\)-manifold, \(n\geq 4\). The authors study the existence of extremal functions for the Sobolev-Poincaré type inequality \[ \|u\|_{2^*}^2\leq K(n,2)\|\nabla u\|_2^2+B_0(g)\|u\|_2^2, \tag{1}\(_g\) \] where \(2^*=2n/(n-2)\), \(\|\cdot\|_p\) denotes the norm in \(L^p(M)\), \(K(n,2)=4/(n(n-2)\omega_n^{2/n})\) is the sharp Euclidean Sobolev constant and \(B_0(g)\) is the smallest constant for which (1)\({}_g\) holds. Set \(B_0(g)_{\text{extr}}:=(\max_MS_g) K(n,2)(n-2)/(4(n-1))\), where \(S_g\) denotes the scalar curvature of \(g\), and let \(V_g\) denote the volume of \(M\) with respect to \(g\). Then \(B_0(g)\geq\max(V_g^{-2/n},B_0(g)_{\text{extr}})\) and either \(B_0(g)=B_0(g)_{\text{extr}}\) or \((1_g)\) possesses extremal functions. Assuming that the Weyl tensor of \(g\) is null around some point it is shown that: (i) there exists \(\widetilde g\in[g]\), a conformal metric to \(g\), such that \(B_0(\widetilde g)=B_0(\widetilde g)_{\text{extr}}\) and (1)\({}_{\widetilde g}\) does not possess extremal functions; (ii) if \(n\geq 7\) then there exists \(\widetilde g\in[g]\) such that \(B_0(\widetilde g)=B_0(\widetilde g)_{\text{extr}}=V_{\widetilde g}^{-2/n}\) and (1)\({}_{\widetilde g}\) has constant extremal functions. The authors also study the existence of extremal functions for the functional \[ J_{g,\alpha}(u)= \biggl(\|\nabla u\|_2^2+\int_M\alpha u^2\biggr)/\|u\|_{2^*}^2, \] where \(\alpha\) is a smooth function satisfying the following criticality conditions: \(\inf J_{g,\alpha}=1/K(n,2)\) and \(\inf J_{g,f}<1/K(n,2)\) for any smooth \(f\leq\alpha\), \(f\not\equiv\alpha\).