Min–max minimal hypersurfaces with obstacle

Abstract

We study min-max theory for area functional among hypersurfaces constrained in a smooth manifold with boundary. A Schoen-Simon-type regularity result is proved for integral varifolds which satisfy a variational inequality and restrict to a stable minimal hypersurface in the interior. Based on this, we show that for any admissible family of sweepouts $\Pi$ in a compact manifold with boundary, there always exists a closed $C^{1,1}$ hypersurface with codimension$\geq 7$ singular set in the interior and having mean curvature pointing outward along boundary realizing the width $\textbf{L}(\Pi)$.