Variational problems on vector bundles (Q750969)

The authors establish important qualitative properties for the minimizers of the energy with a G-invariant potential defined on the space of sections of some vector bundle having the structure group G. The results presented here deal with the following topics: existence of minimizers, regularity for the Landau-Ginzburg model, connections with minimal surface theory, uniqueness and stability of minimizers. The paper contains also an illuminating discussion of the physical problems which give rise to the mentioned variational problems with topological constraints.