On the convexity and symmetry of solutions to an elliptic free boundary problem

Abstract

AbstractWe study the existence, uniqueness and regularity of solutions to an exterior elliptic free boundary problem. The solutions model stationary solutions to nonlinear diffusion reaction problems, that is, they have compact support and satisfy both homogeneous Dirichlet and Neumann-type boundary conditions on the free boundary ∂{u > 0}. Then we prove convexity and symmetry properties of the free boundary and of the level sets {u > c} of the solutions. We also establish symmetry properties for the corresponding interior free boundary problem.