Twisted Harnack inequality and approximation of variational problems with a convexity constraint by singular Abreu equations (Q6065302)

Let \(F(x,z,\mathbf{p})\) be a smooth Lagrangian on \(\mathbb R^n\times\mathbb R\times\mathbb R^n\) which is convex in the variables \(z\) and \(\mathbf{p}\). Let \(\Omega\) and \(\Omega_0\) be bounded, open and smooth domains in \(\mathbb R^n\) such that \(\overline\Omega_0\subset\Omega\). Given \(\varphi\in C^5(\overline\Omega)\), we denote by \(\overline S[\varphi,\Omega_0]\) the set of convex functions \(u:\Omega_0\to\mathbb R\) that admit convex extension to \(\Omega\) such that \(u=\varphi\) on \(\Omega\setminus\Omega_0.\) Under some general convexity and growth conditions on \(F\), the variational problem \[ \inf_{u\in \overline S[\varphi,\Omega_0]}\int_{\Omega_0}F(x,u(x),Du(x))\,dx\tag{\(\dagger\)} \] is known to have a minimizer in \(\overline S[\varphi,\Omega_0]\). The convex constraint in this problem complicates the derivation of a useful Euler-Lagrange equation for it and creates challenges for numerical computations. Therefore, finding good approximations to the minimizers of \((\dagger)\) by solutions of suitable boundary value problems of higher-order equations would be desirable. When the Lagrangian \(F\) is independent of the gradient variable \(\mathbf{p}\), the procedure for uniform norm approximation has been discussed in all dimensions by \textit{G. Carlier} and \textit{T. Radice} [Calc. Var. Partial Differ. Equ. 58, No. 5, Paper No. 170, 13 p. (2019; Zbl 1423.35080)]. For a broad class of Lagrangians \(F\) depending on the gradient, the approximation was carried out successfully in two dimensions in a recent paper by the author [Proc. R. Soc. Edinb., Sect. A, Math. 151, No. 1, 356--376 (2021; Zbl 1458.49021)]. The paper under review addresses the question of approximating minimizers of the variational problem \((\dagger)\) in all dimensions for Lagrangians of the type \(F(x,z,\mathbf{p})=F^0(x,z)+F^1(x,\mathbf{p})\), where \(F^0\) and \(F^1\) are assumed to satisfy certain convexity and growth conditions. The consideration of Lagrangians with such structure is inspired by the Rochet-Choné model \(F(x,z,\mathbf{p})=(|\mathbf{p}|^q/q-x\cdot\mathbf{p}+z)\eta_0(x)\), where \(1<q<\infty\) and \(\eta_0\) is a non-negative function. Under suitable assumptions on \(F^0\) and \(F^1\), the variational problem \((\dagger)\) admits a minimizer, and the author demonstrates that such a minimizer is a uniform limit, on compact subsets of \(\Omega\), of uniformly convex solutions to singular second boundary value problems of fourth order equations of Abreu's type. As part of the main result of the paper, the author uses a priori estimates and degree theory to establishes the solvability of the singular Abreu's equation. A crucial element in obtaining a priori estimates is a Harnack inequality for singular equations of linearized Monge-Ampére type equations that satisfy certain ``twisted'' conditions. It is shown that a sequence of solutions to the singular Abreu's equation converges uniformly on compact subsets of \(\Omega\) to a minimizer of \((\dagger)\).