Skip to main content
Log in

A singular Sphere Covering Inequality: uniqueness and symmetry of solutions to singular Liouville-type equations

  • Published:
Mathematische Annalen Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We derive a singular version of the Sphere Covering Inequality which was recently introduced in Gui and Moradifam (Invent Math. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00222-018-0820-2, 2018) suitable for treating singular Liouville-type problems with superharmonic weights. As an application we deduce new uniqueness results for solutions of the singular mean field equation both on spheres and on bounded domains, as well as new self-contained proofs of previously known results, such as the uniqueness of spherical convex polytopes first established in Luo and Tian (Proc Am Math Soc 116(4):1119–1129, 1992). Furthermore, we derive new symmetry results for the spherical Onsager vortex equation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bandle, C.: On a differential Inequality and its applications to geometry. Math. Zeit. 147, 253–261 (1976)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Bartolucci, D.: On the best pinching constant of conformal metrics on \(\mathbb{S}^2\) with one and two conical singularities. J. Geom. Anal. 23, 855–877 (2013)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. Bartolucci, D.: Global bifurcation analysis of mean field equations and the Onsager microcanonical description of two-dimensional turbulence (2016). arXiv:1609.04139 (preprint)

  4. Bartolucci, D., Castorina, D.: Self gravitating cosmic strings and the Alexandrov’s inequality for Liouville-type equations. Commun. Contemp. Math. 18(4), 1550068 (2016)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Bartolucci, D., Castorina, D.: On a singular Liouville-type equation and the Alexandrov isoperimetric inequality. Ann. Scuola Norm. Sup. Pisa Cl. Sci. XIX, 1–30 (2019)

  6. Bartolucci, D., Chen, C.C., Lin, C.S., Tarantello, G.: Profile of blow up solutions to mean field equations with singular data. Commun. Partial Differ. Equ. 29(7–8), 1241–1265 (2004)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Bartolucci, D., De Marchis, F.: On the Ambjorn–Olesen electroweak condensates. J. Math. Phys. 53, 073704 (2012)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Bartolucci, D., De Marchis, F.: Supercritical mean field equations on convex domains and the Onsager’s statistical description of two-dimensional turbulence. Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 217(2), 525–570 (2015)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Bartolucci, D., De Marchis, F., Malchiodi, A.: Supercritical conformal metrics on surfaces with conical singularities. Int. Math. Res. Not. 24, 5625–5643 (2011)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Bartolucci, D., Jevnikar, A., Lee, Y., Yang, W.: Uniqueness of bubbling solutions of mean field equations. J. Math. Pure Appl. (to appear)

  11. Bartolucci, D., Jevnikar, A., Lee, Y., Yang, W.: Non degeneracy, mean field equations and the Onsager theory of 2D turbulence. Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. (ARMA) 230(1), 397–426 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00205-018-1248-y

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Bartolucci, D., Jevnikar, A., Lin, C.S.: Non-degeneracy and uniqueness of solutions to singular mean field equations on bounded domains. J. Differ. Equ. (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jde.2018.07.053

  13. Bartolucci, D., Lin, C.S.: Uniqueness results for mean field equations with singular data. Commun. Partial Differ. Equ. 34(7), 676–702 (2009)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. Bartolucci, D., Lin, C.S.: Existence and uniqueness for mean field equations on multiply connected domains at the critical parameter. Math. Ann. 359, 1–44 (2014)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  15. Bartolucci, D., Lin, C.S., Tarantello, G.: Uniqueness and symmetry results for solutions of a mean field equation on \({\mathbb{S}}^{2}\) via a new bubbling phenomenon. Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 64(12), 1677–1730 (2011)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  16. Bartolucci, D., Malchiodi, A.: An improved geometric inequality via vanishing moments, with applications to singular Liouville equations. Commun. Math. Phys. 322, 415–452 (2013)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. Bartolucci, D., Tarantello, G.: Liouville type equations with singular data and their applications to periodic multivortices for the electroweak theory. Commun. Math. Phys. 229, 3–47 (2002)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  18. Bartolucci, D., Tarantello, G.: Asymptotic blow-up analysis for singular Liouville type equations with applications. J. Differ. Equ. 262(7), 3887–3931 (2017)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. Beckner, W.: Sharp Sobolev inequalities on the sphere and the Moser–Trudinger inequality. Ann. Math. (2) 138(1), 213–242 (1993)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  20. Brezis, H., Merle, F.: Uniform estimates and blow-up behaviour for solutions of \(-\Delta u = V(x)e^{u}\) in two dimensions. Commun. Partial Differ. Equ. 16(8–9), 1223–1253 (1991)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. Caglioti, E., Lions, P.L., Marchioro, C., Pulvirenti, M.: A special class of stationary flows for two dimensional Euler equations: a statistical mechanics description. II. Commun. Math. Phys. 174, 229–260 (1995)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. Carlotto, A., Malchiodi, A.: Weighted barycentric sets and singular Liouville equations on compact surfaces. J. Funct. Anal. 262(2), 409–450 (2012)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  23. Chai, C.C., Lin, C.S., Wang, C.L.: Mean field equations, hyperelliptic curves, and modular forms: I. Camb. J. Math. 3(1–2), 127–274 (2015)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  24. Chang, S.Y.A., Chen, C.C., Lin, C.S. : Extremal functions for a mean field equation in two dimension. In: Lecture on Partial Differential Equations. New Studies in Advanced Mathematics, vol. 2, pp 61–93. International Press, Somerville (2003)

  25. Chang, Sun-Yung A., Yang, Paul C.: Prescribing Gaussian curvature on \(S^2\). Acta Math. 159(3–4), 2159 (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Chang, Sun-Yung A., Yang, Paul C.: Conformal deformation of metrics on \(S^2\). J. Differ. Geom. 27(2), 2596 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chanillo, S., Kiessling, M.: Rotational symmetry of solutions of some nonlinear problems in statistical mechanics and in geometry. Commun. Math. Phys. 160, 217–238 (1994)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  28. Chen, Z.J., Kuo, T.J., Lin, C.S.: Hamiltonian system for the elliptic form of Painlevé VI equation. J. Math. Pure Appl. 106(3), 546–581 (2016)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  29. Chen, W.X., Li, C.: Classification of solutions of some nonlinear elliptic equations. Duke Math. J. 63(3), 615–622 (1991)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  30. Chen, C.C., Lin, C.S.: Sharp estimates for solutions of multi-bubbles in compact Riemann surface. Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 55, 728–771 (2002)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  31. Chen, C.C., Lin, C.S.: Topological degree for a mean field equation on Riemann surfaces. Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 56, 1667–1727 (2003)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  32. Chen, C.C., Lin, C.S.: Mean field equations of Liouville type with singular data: sharper estimates. Discret. Contin. Dyn. Syst. 28(3), 1237–1272 (2010)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  33. Chen, C.C., Lin, C.S.: Mean field equation of Liouville type with singular data: topological degree. Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 68(6), 887–947 (2015)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  34. De Marchis, F.: Generic multiplicity for a scalar field equation on compact surfaces. J. Funct. Anal. 259, 2165–2192 (2010)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  35. Ding, W., Jost, J., Li, J., Wang, G.: Existence results for mean field equations. Ann. Inst. H. Poincaré Anal. Non Linéaire 16, 653–666 (1999)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  36. Djadli, Z.: Existence result for the mean field problem on Riemann surfaces of all genuses. Commun. Contemp. Math. 10(2), 205–220 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  37. Dolbeault, J., Esteban, M.J., Jankowiak, G.: The Moser–Trudinger–Onofri inequality. Chin. Ann. Math. Ser. B 36(5), 777–802 (2015)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  38. Eremenko, A.: Metrics of positive curvature with conic singularities on the sphere. Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 132(11), 3349–3355 (2004)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  39. Eremenko, A., Gabrielov, A., Tarasov, V.: Metrics with conic singularities and spherical polygons. Ill. J. Math. 58(3), 739–755 (2014)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  40. Eremenko, A., Gabrielov, A., Tarasov, V.: Metrics with four conic singularities and spherical quadrilaterals. Conform. Geom. Dyn. 20, 128–175 (2016)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  41. Fang, H., Lai, M.: On curvature pinching of conic 2-spheres. Calc. Var. Partial Differ. Equ. 55, 118 (2016)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  42. Fleming, W., Rishel, R.: An integral formula for total gradient variation. Arch. Math. 11, 218–222 (1960)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  43. Ghoussoub, N., Lin, C.S.: On the best constant in the Moser–Onofri–Aubin inequality. Commun. Math. Phys. 298(3), 869–878 (2010)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  44. Gui, C., Jevnikar, A., Moradifam, A.: Symmetry and uniqueness of solutions to some Liouville-type equations and systems. Commun. Partial Differ. Equ. 43(3), 428–447 (2018)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  45. Gui, C., Moradifam, A.: The sphere covering inequality and its applications. Invent. Math. (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00222-018-0820-2

  46. Gui, C., Moradifam, A.: Symmetry of solutions of a mean field equation on flat tori. Int. Math. Res. Not. (2016). https://doi.org/10.1093/imrn/rnx121

  47. Gui, C., Moradifam, A.: Uniqueness of solutions of mean field equations in \(\mathbb{R}^2\). Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 146(3), 12311242 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  48. Gui, C., Wei, J.: On a sharp Moser–Aubin–Onofri inequality for functions on \(S^2\) with symmetry. Pac. J. Math. 194(2), 349–358 (2000)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  49. Kazdan, J.L., Warner, F.W.: Curvature functions for compact 2-manifolds. Ann. Math. 99, 14–74 (1974)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  50. Li, Y.Y.: Harnack type inequality: the method of moving planes. Commun. Math. Phys. 200, 421–444 (1999)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  51. Li, Y.Y., Shafrir, I.: Blow-up analysis for solutions of \(-\Delta u = V(x)e^{u}\) in dimension two. Indiana Univ. Math. J. 43(4), 1255–1270 (1994)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  52. Lin, C.S.: Uniqueness of conformal metrics with prescribed total curvature in \({\cal{R}}^{2}\). Calc. Var. Partial Differ. Equ. 10, 291–319 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Lin, C.S.: Uniqueness of solutions to the mean field equations for the spherical Onsager vortex. Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 153(2), 153–176 (2000)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  54. Lin, C.S.: Topological degree for mean field equations on \(S^2\). Duke Math. J. 104(3), 501–536 (2000)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  55. Lin, C.S., Lucia, M.: Uniqueness of solutions for a mean field equation on torus. J. Differ. Equ. 229(1), 172–185 (2006)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  56. Lin, C.S., Wang, C.L.: Elliptic functions, Green functions and the mean field equations on tori. Ann. Math. 172(2), 911–954 (2010)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  57. Luo, F., Tian, G.: Liouville equation and spherical convex polytopes. Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 116(4), 1119–1129 (1992)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  58. Malchiodi, A.: Topological methods for an elliptic equation with exponential nonlinearities. Discret. Contin. Dyn. Syst. 21, 277–294 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  59. Malchiodi, A.: Morse theory and a scalar field equation on compact surfaces. Adv. Differ. Equ. 13, 1109–1129 (2008)

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  60. Michel, J., Robert, R.: Statistical mechanical theory of the great red spot of Jupiter. J. Stat. Phys. 77(3–4), 645–666 (1994)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  61. Moser, J.: A sharp form of an inequality by N. Trudinger. Indiana Univ. Math. J. 20, 1077–1092 (1970/1971)

  62. Poliakovsky, A., Tarantello, G.: On a planar Liouville-type problem in the study of selfgravitating strings. J. Differ. Equ. 252, 3668–3693 (2012)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  63. Polvani, L., Dritschel, D.: Wave and vortex dynamics on the surface of a sphere. J. Fluid Mech. 255, 35–64 (1993)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  64. Prajapat, J., Tarantello, G.: On a class of elliptic problems in \(\mathbb{R}^2\): symmetry and uniqueness results. Proc. R. Soc. Edinb. Sect. A. 131, 967–985 (2001)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  65. Reshetnyak, Y.G.: Two-dimensional manifolds of bounded curvature. In: Reshetnyak, Y.G. (ed.) Geometry IV. Encyclopaedia of Mathematical Sciences, vol. 70, pp. 3–163. Springer, Berlin (1993)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  66. Spruck, J., Yang, Y.: On multivortices in the electroweak theory I: existence of periodic solutions. Commun. Math. Phys. 144, 1–16 (1992)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  67. Suzuki, T.: Global analysis for a two-dimensional elliptic eiqenvalue problem with the exponential nonlinearly. Ann. Inst. H. Poincaré Anal. Non Linéaire 9(4), 367–398 (1992)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  68. Tarantello, G.: Multiple condensate solutions for the Chern–Simons–Higgs theory. J. Math. Phys. 37, 3769–3796 (1996)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  69. Tarantello, G.: Analytical, geometrical and topological aspects of a class of mean field equations on surfaces. Discret. Contin. Dyn. Syst. 28(3), 931–973 (2010)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  70. Tarantello, G.: Blow-up analysis for a cosmic strings equation. J. Funct. Anal. 272(1), 255–338 (2017)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  71. Troyanov, M.: Prescribing curvature on compact surfaces with conical singularities. Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 324, 793–821 (1991)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  72. Troyanov, M.: Metrics of constant curvature on a sphere with two conical singularities. In: Carreras, F.J., Gil-Medrano, O., Naveira, A.M. (eds.) Differential Geometry. Lecture Notes in Mathematics, vol. 1410, pp. 296–306. Springer, Berlin (1989)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  73. Wei, J., Zhang, L.: Nondegeneracy of Gauss curvature equation with negative conic singularity. Pacific J. Math. (2017). arXiv:1706.10264 (to appear)

  74. Wolansky, G.: On steady distributions of self-attracting clusters under friction and fluctuations. Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 119, 355–391 (1992)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  75. Yang, Y.: Solitons in Field Theory and Nonlinear Analysis. Springer Monographs in Mathematics. Springer, New York (2001)

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  76. Zhang, L.: Asymptotic behavior of blowup solutions for elliptic equations with exponential nonlinearity and singular data. Commun. Contemp. Math. 11, 395–411 (2009)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aleks Jevnikar.

Additional information

Communicated by Y. Giga.

D.B. and A.J. are partially supported by FIRB project “Analysis and Beyond”, by PRIN project 2012, ERC PE1_11, “Variational and perturbative aspects in nonlinear differential problems”, and by the Consolidate the Foundations project 2015 (sponsored by Univ. of Rome “Tor Vergata”), “Nonlinear Differential Problems and their Applications”. C.G. is partially supported by NSF Grant DMS-1601885, and A.M. is supported by NSF Grant DMS-1715850.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bartolucci, D., Gui, C., Jevnikar, A. et al. A singular Sphere Covering Inequality: uniqueness and symmetry of solutions to singular Liouville-type equations. Math. Ann. 374, 1883–1922 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00208-018-1761-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00208-018-1761-1

Mathematics Subject Classification

Navigation