A variational problem for manifold valued functions (Q5954416)

It is proved the existence and the multiplicity of local minima of the functional \[ E(\varphi)= \frac 12 \int_{\mathbb{R}^3} \alpha\bigl(\|d \varphi\|^2 \bigr)dx \] where \(\alpha:\mathbb{R} \to\mathbb{R}\) is a smooth positive function and \(\varphi:\mathbb{R}^3 \to{\mathcal M}\), being \({\mathcal M}\) a compact Riemannian manifold. The functions \(\varphi\) satisfies the boundary condition at \(\infty\), \[ \lim_{x\to\infty} \varphi(x)=p \in{\mathcal M}. \] If \(\alpha(s)=s\), the solutions of the variational problem are harmonic maps. The authors prove the existence of critical points of \(E(\varphi)\) on a suitable Sobolev manifold of maps \(\Lambda\), corresponding to nontrivial elements of the third homotopy group \(\pi_e({\mathcal M})\). Such critical points are obtained by minimization of \(E\) on connected components of \(\Lambda\).