Existence and uniqeness theorems for a class of Monge-Ampère equations (Q798510)

We consider a Monge-Ampère equation of the form: \[ (1)\quad A \det (\nabla_ i\nabla_ jy)+B\Delta y+B^{ij}\nabla_ i\nabla_ jy+F=g(x), \] given on a sphere S of unit radius in \(E^ 3\). Here x is a moving point of the sphere, y(x) is the solution sought, the symbols \(\nabla_ iy\) denote covariant derivatives; the coefficients A,B, \(B^{ij}\), F of the equation are assumed to be known functions of the point x, of the solution sought and the derivatives \(\nabla_ iy\); here \(B^{ij}\) form a bivalent contravariant tensor with respect to the coordinate transformations on the sphere S. Since the sphere is closed, boundary conditions are not set. We prove existence and uniqueness theorems for a solution for two classes of equations of the form (1) of elliptic type. These classes are defined by conditions on the coefficients. The proof is based on the methods developed by A. D. Aleksandrov and A. V. Pogorelov in the theory of convex surfaces, in particular, on the concept of generalized curvature and the existence and uniqueness theorems for surfaces with given generalized curvature.