A minimum problem with free boundary in Orlicz spaces (Q936539)

The paper deals with the minimization problem of the functional \[ {\mathcal J}(u)= \int_\Omega G(|\nabla u|) + \lambda \chi_{\{u>0\}} \,dx \] in the class \({\mathcal K}= \{v\in L^1(G): \int_\Omega G(|\nabla v|) \,dx < \infty\), \(v= \varphi_0\) on \(\partial\Omega\}\), where \(\varphi_0\in L^\infty(G)\) is non-negative with \(\int_\Omega G(|\nabla \varphi_0|)dx < \infty\), and \(\Omega\subset\mathbb R^N\) a smooth bounded domain. This problem is closely connected with the free boundary problem \[ \begin{cases} \Delta u=0 & \text{in }\{u>0\},\\ u=0, \;|\nabla u|=\lambda & \text{on }\partial\{u>0\}; \end{cases} \] it was first studied in [\textit{H. W. Alt, L. A. Caffarelli}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 325, 105--144 (1981; Zbl 0449.35105)]. This was extended and applied in many papers, but the authors return to ideas of the first one and study weak solutions. In addition, they impose natural conditions on \(G\) introduced in [\textit{G. M. Lieberman}, Commun. Partial Differ. Equations 16, No.~2--3, 311--361 (1991; Zbl 0742.35028)]. The first main result gives the existence of a minimizer of \({\mathcal J}\) in \({\mathcal K}\) if for some constants \(\delta, g_0\) and all \(t>0\), \[ 0<\delta\leq \frac{t g'(t)}{g(t)} \leq g_0, \] where \(g(t)=G'(t)\). Moreover, the authors obtain further regularity properties of such a minimizer. The second main result concerns the asymptotic development of a minimizer near any point in their reduced free boundary \(\partial_{\text{red}} \{u>0\} = \{x\in\Omega\cap \partial\{u>0\} : |\nu_u(x)|=1\}\), where \(\nu_u(x)\) is the unit outer normal in the measure theoretic sense. Finally, Theorem~1.3 states that if \(u\) is a weak solution, then at \(\mathcal{H}^{N-1}\)-a.e. point in \(\partial_{\text{red}}\{u>0\}\) there is a neighbourhood where the free boundary is a \(C^{1,\alpha}\) surface. This paper contains a variety of further new inequalities and results used in the arguments, which are of self-contained interest, too; e.g., the authors obtain further assertions on a maximum principle and positivity of the minimizers, as well as on Hölder and Lipschitz continuity. There is some representation theorem for minimizers in Section~6.