Inverse quasiconvexification

Abstract

In the context of the Calculus of Variations for non-convex, vector variational problems, the natural process of going from a function $\phi$ to its quasiconvexification $Q\phi$ is quite involved, and, most of the time, an impossible task. We propose to look at the reverse process, what might be called inverse quasiconvexification: start from a function $\phi_0$, and find functions $\phi$ for which $\phi_0=Q\phi$. In addition to establishing a few general principles, we show several explicit examples motivated by their application to inverse problems in conductivity.