Nodal sets of magnetic Schroedinger operators of Aharonov-Bohm type and energy minimizing partitions

In this paper we consider a stationary Schroedinger operator in the plane, in presence of a magnetic field of Aharonov-Bohm type with semi-integer circulation. We analyze the nodal regions for a class of solutions such that the nodal set consists of regular arcs, connecting the singular points with the boundary. In case of one magnetic pole, which is free to move in the domain, the nodal lines may cluster dissecting the domain in three parts. Our main result states that the magnetic energy is critical (with respect to the magnetic pole) if and only if such a configuration occurs. Moreover the nodal regions form a minimal 3-partition of the domain (with respect to the real energy associated to the equation), the configuration is unique and depends continuously on the data. The analysis performed is related to the notion of spectral minimal partition introduced in [20]. As it concerns eigenfunctions, we similarly show that critical points of the Rayleigh quotient correspond to multiple clustering of the nodal lines.Comment: 32 page

Liouville theorems and 11-dimensional symmetry for solutions of an elliptic system modelling phase separation

We consider solutions of the competitive elliptic system $$\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} -\Delta u_i = - \sum_{j \neq i} u_i u_j^2 & \text{in $\mathbb{R}^N$} \\ u_i >0 & \text{in $\mathbb{R}^N$} \end{array}\right. \qquad i=1,\dots,k.$$ We are concerned with the classification of entire solutions, according with their growth rate. The prototype of our main results is the following: there exists a function $\delta=\delta(k,N) \in \mathbb{N}$, increasing in $k$, such that if $(u_1,\dots,u_k)$ is a solution and $$u_1(x)+\cdots+u_k(x) \le C(1+|x|^d) \qquad \text{for every $x \in \mathbb{R}^N$},$$ then $d \ge \delta$. This means that the number of components $k$ of the solution imposes an increasing in $k$ minimal growth on the solution itself. If $N=2$, the expression of $\delta$ is explicit and optimal, while in higher dimension it can be characterized in terms of an optimal partition problem. We discuss the sharpness of our results and, as a further step, for every $N \ge 2$ we can prove the $1$-dimensional symmetry of the solutions satisfying suitable assumptions, extending known results which are available for $k=2$. The proofs rest upon a blow-down analysis and on some monotonicity formulae.Comment: 27 page

Solutions to nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations with singular electromagnetic potential and critical exponent

We investigate existence and qualitative behaviour of solutions to nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations with critical exponent and singular electromagnetic potentials. We are concerned with magnetic vector potentials which are homogeneous of degree -1, including the Aharonov-Bohm class. In particular, by variational arguments we prove a result of multiplicity of solutions distinguished by symmetry properties