The Continuous Subsolution Problem for Complex Hessian Equations

Abstract

Let $\Omega \subset \mathbb C^n$ be a bounded strictly $m$-pseudoconvex domain ($1\leq m\leq n$) and $\mu$ a positive Borel measure on $\Omega$. We study the Dirichlet problem for the complex Hessian equation $(dd^c u)^m \wedge \beta^{n - m} = \mu$ on $\Omega$. First we give a sufficient condition on the "modulus of diffusion" of the measure $\mu$ with respect to the $m$-Hessian capacity which guarantees the existence of a continuous solution to the associated Dirichlet problem with a continuous boundary datum. As an application, we prove that if the equation has a continuous $m$-subharmonic subsolution whose modulus of continuity satisfies a Dini type condition, then the equation has a continuous solution with an arbitrary continuous boundary datum. Moreover when the measure has a finite mass on $\Omega$, we give a precise quantitative estimate on the modulus of continuity of the solution. One of the main steps in our proof is to establish a new capacity estimate providing a precise estimate of the modulus of diffusion of the $m$-Hessian measure of a continuous $m$-subharmonic function $\varphi$ in $\Omega$ with zero boundary with respect to the $m$-Hessian capacity in terms of the modulus of continuity of $\varphi$. Another important ingredient is a new weak stability estimate for the $m$-Hessian measure of a continuous $m$-subharmonic function in $\Omega$.