arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jani Onninen.
A quasisymmetric graph is a curve whose projection onto a line is a quasisymmetric map. We show that this class of curves is related to solutions of the reduced Beltrami equation and to a generalization of the Zygmund class $Λ_*$. This relation makes it possible to use the tools of harmonic analysis to construct nontrivial examples of quasisymmetric graphs and of quasiconformal maps.
The central theme of this paper is the variational analysis of homeomorphisms $h\colon \mathbb X \onto \mathbb Y$ between two given domains $\mathbb X, \mathbb Y \subset \mathbb R^n$. We look for the extremal mappings in the Sobolev space $\mathscr W^{1,n}(\mathbb X,\mathbb Y)$ which minimize the energy integral \[ \mathscr E_h=\int_{\mathbb X} ||Dh(x)||^n dx. \] Because of the natural connections with quasiconformal mappings this $n$-harmonic alternative to the classical Dirichlet integral (for planar domains) has drawn the attention of researchers in Geometric Function Theory. Explicit analysis is made here for a pair of concentric spherical annuli where many unexpected phenomena about minimal $n$-harmonic mappings are observed. The underlying integration of nonlinear differential forms, called free Lagrangians, becomes truly a work of art.
Every homeomorphism h : X -> Y between planar open sets that belongs to the Sobolev class W^{1,p}(X,Y), 1<p<\infty, can be approximated in the Sobolev norm by diffeomorphisms.
The paper establishes the existence of homeomorphisms between two planar domains that minimize the Dirichlet energy. Specifically, among all homeomorphisms f : R -> R* between bounded doubly connected domains such that Mod (R) < Mod (R*) there exists, unique up to conformal authomorphisms of R, an energy-minimal diffeomorphism. No boundary conditions are imposed on f. Although any energy-minimal diffeomorphism is harmonic, our results underline the major difference between the existence of harmonic diffeomorphisms and the existence of the energy-minimal diffeomorphisms. The existence of globally invertible energy-minimal mappings is of primary pursuit in the mathematical models of nonlinear elasticity and is also of interest in computer graphics.
We prove that planar homeomorphisms can be approximated by diffeomorphisms in the Sobolev space $W^{1,2}$ and in the Royden algebra. As an application, we show that every discrete and open planar mapping with a holomorphic Hopf differential is harmonic.
The concept of a conformal deformation has two natural extensions: quasiconformal and harmonic mappings. Both classes do not preserve the conformal type of the domain, however they cannot change it in an arbitrary way. Doubly connected domains are where one first observes nontrivial conformal invariants. Herbert Groetzsch and Johannes C. C. Nitsche addressed this issue for quasiconformal and harmonic mappings, respectively. Combining these concepts we obtain sharp estimates for quasiconformal harmonic mappings between doubly connected domains. We then apply our results to the Cauchy problem for minimal surfaces, also known as the Bjorling problem. Specifically, we obtain a sharp estimate of the modulus of a doubly connected minimal surface that evolves from its inner boundary with a given initial slope.
The Harmonic Mapping Problem asks when there exists a harmonic homeomorphism between two given domains. It arises in the theory of minimal surfaces and in calculus of variations, specifically in hyperelasticity theory. We investigate this problem for doubly connected domains in the plane, where it already presents considerable challenge and leads to several interesting open questions.
The conjecture in question concerns the existence of a harmonic homeomorphism between circular annuli A(r,R) and A(r*,R*), and is motivated in part by the existence problem for doubly-connected minimal surfaces with prescribed boundary. In 1962 J.C.C. Nitsche observed that the image annulus cannot be too thin, but it can be arbitrarily thick (even a punctured disk). Then he conjectured that for such a mapping to exist we must have the following inequality, now known as the Nitsche bound: R*/r* is greater than or equal to (R/r+r/R)/2. In this paper we give an affirmative answer to his conjecture. As a corollary, we find that among all minimal graphs over given annulus the upper slab of catenoid has the greatest conformal modulus.
We extend monotone quasiconformal mappings from dimension n to n+1 while preserving both monotonicity and quasiconformality. The extension is given explicitly by an integral operator. In the case n=1 it yields a refinement of the Beurling-Ahlfors extension.
As long ago as 1962 Nitsche conjectured that a harmonic homeomorphism $h \colon A(r,R) \to A(r_*, R_*)$ between planar annuli exists if and only if $\frac{R_*}{r_*} \ge {1/2} (\frac{R}{r} + \frac{r}{R})$. We prove this conjecture when the domain annulus is not too wide; explicitly, when $\log \frac{R}{r} \le {3/2}$. For general $A(r,R)$ the conjecture is proved under additional assumption that either $h$ or its normal derivative have vanishing average on the inner boundary circle. This is the case for the critical Nitsche mapping which yields equality in the above inequality. The Nitsche mapping represents so-called free evolution of circles of the annulus $A(r,R)$. It will be shown on the other hand that forced harmonic evolution results in greater ratio $\frac{R_*}{r_*}$. To this end, we introduce the underlying differential operators for the circular means of the forced evolution and use them to obtain sharp lower bounds of $\frac{R_*}{r_*}$.
We obtain improved regularity of homeomorphic solutions of the reduced Beltrami equation, as compared to the standard Beltrami equation. Such an improvement is not possible in terms of Holder or Sobolev regularity; instead, our results concern the generalized variation of restrictions to lines. Specifically, we prove that the restriction to any line segment has finite p-variation for all p>1 but not necessarily for p=1.
We prove local and global invertibility of Sobolev solutions of certain differential inclusions which prevent the differential matrix from having negative eigenvalues. Our results are new even for quasiregular mappings in two dimensions.
A uniqueness theorem is established for autonomous systems of ODEs, $\dot{x}=f(x)$, where $f$ is a Sobolev vector field with additional geometric structure, such as delta-monoticity or reduced quasiconformality. Specifically, through every non-critical point of $f$ there passes a unique integral curve.
We give sufficient conditions for a planar quasiregular mapping to be injective in terms of the range of the differential matrix.