A variational method for functionals depending on eigenvalues

Abstract

We perform a systematic variational method for functionals depending on eigenvalues of Riemannian manifolds. It is based on a new concept of Palais–Smale (PS) sequences that can be constructed thanks to a generalization of classical min-max methods on $C^1$ functionals to locally Lipschitz functionals. We prove convergence results on these PS sequences emerging from combinations of Laplace eigenvalues or combinations of Steklov eigenvalues in dimension 2.