On the Steiner property for planar minimizing clusters. The anisotropic case (Q6158350)

Given \(N\) positive numbers, a \(N\)-cluster is a collection \(\mathcal{E}=(E_1,\dots,E_N)\) of \(N\) essentially disjoint sets of finite perimeter in \(\mathbb{R}^2\), and its volume is the \(N\)-dimensional vector \((|E_1|,\dots,|E_N|)\). The \(N\)-bubble problem amounts to finding the \(N\)-cluster \(\mathcal{E}\) with the least perimeter among those with fixed volume \(V=(V_1,\dots, V_N)\). A classic result is that any optimal configuration satisfies the so-called Steiner's property, that is, the boundary of any minimal cluster is made by finitely many \(C^{1,\gamma}\) arcs, meeting in finitely many junction points, each made of exactly three arcs forming angles of 120 degrees. In the paper, the authors study the analog property when one-in place of the usual Euclidean volume and perimeter-considers weighted counterparts. In particular, the function \(h\), weighting the perimeter, may also depend on the outward normal, i.e., \(h=h(x,\nu)\) giving rise to Finslerian-like energies. Under some assumptions on the perimeter weight, cf. Theorem A, the authors prove that minimal clusters enjoy a Steiner-like property (cf. Definition 1.3): the boundary consists of finitely many regular arcs, whose regularity depend on that of \(h\); the arcs meet in finitely many junction points; each junction point is the endpoint of exactly three arcs; the angles formed by the arcs \textit{depend} on the weight \(h\), and in any case, the tangents to the three arcs at the junction points are distinct (i.e., there are no cusps).