In this paper we prove that the second (non-trivial) Neumann eigenvalue of the Laplace operator on smooth domains of RN with prescribed measure m attains its maximum on the union of two disjoint balls of measure m/2. As a consequence, the Pólya conjecture for the Neumann eigenvalues holds for the second eigenvalue and for arbitrary domains. We moreover prove that a relaxed form of the same inequality holds in the context of non-smooth domains and densities.

Let F :RN→RN be a locally Lipschitz continuous function. We prove that F is a global homeomorphism or only injective, under suitable assumptions on the subdifferential ∂F(x). We use variational methods, nonsmooth inverse function theorem and extensions of the Hadamard-Levy Theorem. We also address questions on the Markus-Yamabe conjecture.

We give a partial converse to [8, Theorem 1.3] (as a resolution of [2, Problem 8.4] for the quasiconformal Q-composition) for Q0<α<2−1(Rn≥2), and yet demonstrate that if f:R2→R2 is a homeomorphism then the boundedness of u↦u∘f on Q2−1<α<1(R2)⊂BMO(R2) yields the quasiconformality of f.

Fluid dynamic limit to compressible Euler equations from compressible Navier-Stokes equations and Boltzmann equation has been an active topic with limited success so far. In this paper, we consider the case when the solution of the Euler equations is a Riemann solution consisting two rarefaction waves and a contact discontinuity and prove this limit for both Navier-Stokes equations and the Boltzmann equation when the viscosity, heat conductivity coefficients and the Knudsen number tend to zero respectively. In addition, the uniform convergence rates in terms of the above physical parameters are also obtained. It is noted that this is the first rigorous proof of this limit for a Riemann solution with superposition of three waves even though the fluid dynamic limit for a single wave has been proved.

This paper is concerned with the derivation and analysis of hydrodynamic models for systems of self-propelled particles subject to alignment interaction and attraction-repulsion. The starting point is the kinetic model considered in earlier work of Degond & Motsch with the addition of an attraction-repulsion interaction potential. Introducing different scalings than in Degond & Motsch, the non-local effects of the alignment and attraction-repulsion interactions can be kept in the hydrodynamic limit and result in extra pressure, viscosity terms and capillary force. The systems are shown to be symmetrizable hyperbolic systems with viscosity terms. A local-in-time existence result is proved in the 2D case for the viscous model and in the 3D case for the inviscid model. The proof relies on the energy method.