Inverse problem in the calculus of variations -- functional and antiexact forms

Abstract

We connect the well-known theory of functional forms of variational bicomplex with the theory of antiexact differential forms. We identify antiexact functional forms as an obstruction to the variationality of differential equations. The most prominent result of this observation is the formulation of the variational problem for some differential equations that are not variational and neither have a variational multiplier. Heat, Navier-Stokes, and KdV equations illustrate this new variational principle.