A new partial regularity result for non-autonomous convex integrals with non-standard growth conditions (Q618272)

The paper is concerned with convex variational integrals of the form \(\int f(x,Du)\,dx\) for vector-valued functions \(u\) on a bounded domain in \({\mathbb{R}}^n\). By non-standard growth conditions, the authors here mean that the upper and lower bounds \({1\over L}|\xi|^p\leq f(x,\xi)\leq L(1+|\xi|^q)\) involve different exponents \(1<p\leq q\). It has been clear that partial regularity can only be expected if \(p\) and \(q\) are not too far apart. Here \(C^{1,\gamma}\)-regularity almost everywhere is proven for minimizers under the assumption \(q<\min\{{n\over n-1}\,p,\,p+1\}\) and of Hölder-continuous dependence of \(f\) on \(x\). This is related to [\textit{L. Esposito, F. Leonetti} and \textit{G. Mingione}, ``Sharp regularity for functionals with (\(p\),\(q\)) growth'', J. Differ.\ Equations 204, No.\,1, 5--55 (2004; Zbl 1072.49024)] where an upper bound \(q<{n+\alpha\over n}p\), depending on the Hölder exponent \(\alpha\) of \(f\) with respect to \(x\), is proven to be necessary and sufficient for \(W^{1,q}\) higher integrability of solutions. The current paper studies minimizers instead, and for partial regularity, some lack of higher integrability near the singular set can be ignored. This allows to go beyond the \(\alpha\)-dependent exponent.