On a Free-Endpoint Isoperimetric Problem in $\mathbb{R}^2$

Inspired by a planar partitioning problem involving multiple improper chambers, this article investigates using classical techniques what can be said of the existence, uniqueness, and regularity of minimizers in a certain free-endpoint isoperimetric problem. By restricting to curves which are expressible as graphs of functions, a full existence-uniqueness-regularity result is proved using a convexity technique inspired by work of Talenti. The problem studied here can be interpreted physically as the identification of the equilibrium shape of a sessile liquid drop in half-space (in the absence of gravity). This is a well-studied variational problem whose full resolution requires the use of geometric measure theory, in particular the theory of sets of finite perimeter, but here we present a more direct, classical geometrical approach. Conjectures on improper planar partitioning problems are presented throughout.

On a Free-Endpoint Isoperimetric Problem in $\mathbb{R}^2$ Journal Articles