1
$\begingroup$

My question is the following:

Is there a maximum principle for functions $u:\Omega\to\mathbb C$, where $\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ open and bounded and $\Delta u=0$?

More precisely, I'm looking for a statement like

$\Delta u=0\;\Rightarrow\; \max_{\Omega}(|u|) = \max_{\partial\Omega}(|u|)$.

  • 0
    Are we assuming $\Omega$ is bounded [and $u$ continuous on $\overline{\Omega}$]?2017-02-14
  • 0
    Oh, sorry. Of course $\Omega is supposed to be bounded. I corrected it. If it helps, we can also assume u to be continuous.2017-02-14

1 Answers 1

1

We have such a maximum principle for $\Omega$ bounded and $u$ continuous on $\overline{\Omega}$. It follows from the maximum principle for real-valued harmonic functions:

Since $\overline{\Omega}$ is compact and $\lvert u\rvert$ continuous on $\overline{\Omega}$, $\lvert u\rvert$ attains its maximum at some point $x_0 \in \overline{\Omega}$. If $x_0 \in \partial \Omega$,

$$\sup \:\{ \lvert u(x)\rvert : x \in \Omega\} \leqslant \lvert u(x_0)\rvert = \max\:\{ \lvert u(x)\rvert : x \in \partial \Omega\}$$

follows immediately, and since $u$ is continuous at $x_0$ we also have

$$\lvert u(x_0)\rvert \leqslant \sup\:\{\lvert u(x)\rvert : x \in \Omega\}.$$

If $x_0 \in \Omega$, we conclude that $u$ is constant on the component of $\Omega$ containing $x_0$, and hence $\lvert u\rvert$ also attains its maximum on $\partial \Omega$. If $u(x_0) = 0$, it follows immediately that $u \equiv 0$ on all of $\Omega$. So we can assume $u(x_0) \neq 0$. Let $c\in \mathbb{C}$ with $\lvert c\rvert = 1$ such that $c\cdot u(x_0) > 0$, and define $v = c\cdot u$ and $w = \operatorname{Re} v$. We have $w \leqslant \lvert v\rvert = \lvert u\rvert$, and the real-valued harmonic function $w$ has a local maximum at $x_0$. By the maximum principle for real-valued harmonic functions, $w$ is constant on the component $C$ of $x_0$ in $\Omega$. But then

$$\lvert u(x_0)\rvert = w(x) \leqslant \lvert v(x)\rvert = \lvert u(x)\rvert \leqslant \lvert u(x_0)\rvert$$

on $C$ implies $v = w$ on $C$ and hence $u(x) = u(x_0)$ for all $x\in C$. Since $\varnothing \neq \partial C \subset \partial \Omega$, it follows that $\lvert u\rvert$ also attains its maximum on $\partial\Omega$.

  • 0
    Thanks! Was this your proof or is there any source (like a book) where I can find this theorem?2017-02-15
  • 0
    I guess I've seen that proof in some book. But it could also be that I saw that argument used to prove something else (though I don't see what that might have been) and adapted it to the situation here.2017-02-15