The classical overdetermined Serrin problem

In this survey we consider the classical overdetermined problem which was studied by Serrin in 1971. The original proof relies on Alexandrov's moving plane method, maximum principles, and a refinement of Hopf's boundary point Lemma. Since then other approaches to the same problem have been devised. Among them we consider the one due to Weinberger which strikes for the elementary arguments used and became very popular. Then we discuss also a duality approach involving harmonic functions, a shape derivative approach and a purely integral approach, all of them not relying on maximum principle. For each one we consider pros and cons as well as some generalizations

On a P\'olya functional for rhombi, isosceles triangles, and thinning convex sets

Let $\Omega$ be an open convex set in ${\mathbb R}^m$ with finite width, and let $v_{\Omega}$ be the torsion function for $\Omega$, i.e. the solution of $-\Delta v=1, v\in H_0^1(\Omega)$. An upper bound is obtained for the product of $\Vert v_{\Omega}\Vert_{L^{\infty}(\Omega)}\lambda(\Omega)$, where $\lambda(\Omega)$ is the bottom of the spectrum of the Dirichlet Laplacian acting in $L^2(\Omega)$. The upper bound is sharp in the limit of a thinning sequence of convex sets. For planar rhombi and isosceles triangles with area $1$, it is shown that $\Vert v_{\Omega}\Vert_{L^{1}(\Omega)}\lambda(\Omega)\ge \frac{\pi^2}{24}$, and that this bound is sharp.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Shape optimization for monge-ampére equations via domain derivative

In this note we prove that, if Ω is a smooth, strictly convex, open set in R n (n ≥ 2) with given measure, the L 1 norm of the convex solution to the Dirichlet problem detD 2u = 1 in , u = 0 on δΩ, is minimum whenever is an ellipsoid

The Neumann eigenvalue problem for the ∞\infty-Laplacian

The first nontrivial eigenfunction of the Neumann eigenvalue problem for the $p$-Laplacian, suitable normalized, converges as $p$ goes to $\infty$ to a viscosity solution of an eigenvalue problem for the $\infty$-Laplacian. We show among other things that the limit of the eigenvalue, at least for convex sets, is in fact the first nonzero eigenvalue of the limiting problem. We then derive a number of consequences, which are nonlinear analogues of well-known inequalities for the linear (2-)Laplacian.Comment: Corrected few typos. Corollary 5 adde