Energy minimisers with prescribed Jacobian

Abstract

We study the symmetry and uniqueness of maps which minimise the $np$-Dirichlet energy, under the constraint that their Jacobian is a given radially symmetric function $f$. We find a condition on $f$ which ensures that the minimisers are symmetric and unique. In the absence of this condition we construct an explicit $f$ for which there are uncountably many distinct energy minimisers, none of which is symmetric. Even if we prescribe the maps to be the identity on the boundary of a ball we show that the minimisers need not be symmetric. This gives a negative answer to a question of Hélein (Ann. Inst. H. Poincaré Anal. Non Linéaire 11 (1994), no. 3, 275-296).

24 pages, 4 figures