Solutions to the Thin Obstacle Problem with non-2D frequency

Abstract

For all odd positive integers $m$, we construct $\mu$-homogeneous solutions to the thin obstacle problem in $\mathbb{R}^3,$ with $\mu\in(m,m+1)$. For $m$ large, $\mu-m$ converges to $1$, so $\mu\neq m+\tfrac 1 2$. The restriction to odd values of $m$ is necessary: we show that, for all $n\ge 2$, there are no $\mu$-homogeneous solutions to the thin obstacle problem in $\mathbb{R}^n$ with $\mu \in \bigcup_{k\ge 0}(2k,2k+1)$. These examples also apply to $2$-valued $C^{1,1/2}$ stationary harmonic functions or $\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$-eigenfunctions of the laplacian on the sphere.