A Rademacher type theorem for Hamiltonians $H(x,p)$ and application to absolute minimizers

Abstract

We establish a Rademacher type theorem involving Hamiltonians $H(x,p)$ under very weak conditions in both of Euclidean and Carnot-Carathéodory spaces. In particular,$H(x,p)$ is assumed to be only measurable in the variable $x$, and to be quasiconvex and lower-semicontinuous in the variable $p$. Without the lower-semicontinuity in the variable $p$, we provide a counter example showing the failure of such a Rademacher type theorem. Moreover, by applying such a Rademacher type theorem we build up an existence result of absolute minimizers for the corresponding $L^{\infty }$-functional. These improve or extend several known results in the literature.

53 pages, major revision incorporated referee's comments