Branch points for (almost-)minimizers of two-phase free boundary problems

Abstract

We study the existence and structure of branch points in two-phase free boundary problems. More precisely, we construct a family of minimizers to an Alt–Caffarelli–Friedman-type functional whose free boundaries contain branch points in the strict interior of the domain. We also give an example showing that branch points in the free boundary of almost-minimizers of the same functional can have very little structure. This last example stands in contrast with recent results of De Philippis, Spolaor and Velichkov on the structure of branch points in the free boundary of stationary solutions.

Keywords

• 35R35