Balanced split sets and Hamilton-Jacobi equations (Q618751)

The authors consider the following boundary value problem \[ H(p,du(p))=1,\quad p\in \Omega, \qquad u(p)=g(p),\quad p\in \partial\Omega, \] for a smooth compact manifold \(\Omega\) of dimension \(n\) with boundary, \(H\) is smooth and strictly convex in the second argument and the boundary data \(g\) is smooth and satisfies \[ |g(y)-g(z)|<d(y,z), \quad \forall y,z \in \partial\Omega, \] where \(d\) is the distance induced by the Finsler metric. A unique viscosity solution is given by the Lax-Oleinik formula, and a local classical solution can be computed near \(\partial\Omega\) following characteristics curves. The viscosity solution can be thought of as a way to extend the classical solution to the whole \(\Omega\). Let \(\mathit{Sing}\) be the closure of the singular set of the viscosity solution \(u\) to the above problem. \(\mathit{Sing}\) has a key property: any point in \(\Omega \setminus \mathit{Sing}\) can be joined to \(\partial \Omega\) by a unique characteristic curve that does not intersect \(\mathit{Sing}\). A set with this property is said to split \(\Omega\). The set \(\mathit{Sing}\) has an extra property: it is a balanced split locus. The goal in this paper is to determine whether there is a unique balanced split locus. In the cases when this is not true, the authors also give an interpretation of the multiple balanced split loci. One of the sections contains the proof that the distance to a balanced split locus and the distance to the \(k\)-th conjugate point are Lipschitz. The last section clarifies the relationship between viscosity solutions and the classical approach of characteristics, providing equations for the singular set.