On two functionals connected to the Laplacian in a class of doubly connected domains in space-forms

Abstract

Let $B_1$ be a ball of radius $r_1$ in $S^n(\Hy^n)$, and let $B_0$ be a smaller ball of radius $r_0$ such that $\overline{B_0}\subset B_1$. For $S^n$ we consider $r_1<\pi$. Let $u$ be a solution of the problem $-\La u =1$ in $\Om := B_1\setminus \bar{B_0}$ vanishing on the boundary. It is shown that the associated functional $J(\Om)$ is minimal if and only if the balls are concentric. It is also shown that the first Dirichlet eigenvalue of the Laplacian on $\Om$ is maximal if and only if the balls are concentric.

10 pages