Anal.Math.Phys.

(2016) 6:403424
DOI 10.1007/s13324-016-0125-9

Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere

Mykhailo Bilogliadov1

Received: 28 October 2015 / Revised: 22 January 2016 / Accepted: 28 January 2016 /

Published online: 5 February 2016
Springer International Publishing 2016

Abstract We consider the minimal energy problem on the unit sphere S2 in the Euclid-
ean space R3 immersed in an external field Q, where the charges are assumed to interact
via Newtonian potential 1/r, r being the Euclidean distance. The problem is solved by
finding the support of the extremal measure, and obtaining an explicit expression for
the equilibrium density. We then apply our results to an external field generated by a
point charge, and to a quadratic external field.

Keywords Minimal energy problem Newtonian potential Weighted energy

Equilibrium measure Extremal measure

Mathematics Subject Classification 31B05 31B10 31B15

1 Introduction

Let S2 := {x R3 : |x| = 1} be the unit sphere in R3 , where | | is the Euclidean

distance. Given a compact set E S2 , consider the class M(E) of unit positive
Borel measures supported on E. The Newtonian potential and Newtonian energy of a
measure M(E) are defined respectively as

 
1 1
U (x) := d(y), I () := d(x)d(y).
|x y| |x y|

B Mykhailo Bilogliadov
mykhail@okstate.edu

1 Department of Mathematics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA

404 M. Bilogliadov

Let

W (E) := inf{I () : M(E)}.

Define the Newtonian capacity of E as cap(E) := 1/W (E). We say that a property
holds quasi-everywhere (q.e.), if the exceptional set has a Newtonian capacity zero.
When cap(E) > 0, there is a unique E such that I ( E ) = W (E). Such E is called
the Newtonian equilibrium measure for E.
An external field is defined as a non-negative lower-semicontinuous function Q :
E [0, ], such that Q(x) < on a set of positive Lebesgue surface measure.
The weighted energy associated with Q(x) is then defined by

I Q () := I () + 2 Q(x)d(x).

The energy problem on S2 in the presence of the external field Q(x) refers to the
minimal quantity

VQ := inf{I Q () : M(E)}.

A measure Q M(E) such that I Q ( Q ) = VQ is called an extremal (or positive

Newtonian equilibrium) measure associated with Q(x).
The potential U Q of the measure Q satisfies the Gauss variational inequalities

U Q (x) + Q(x) FQ q.e. on E, (1)

U Q (x) + Q(x) FQ for all x S Q , (2)

where FQ := VQ Q(x) d Q (x), and S Q := supp Q (see Theorem 10.3 in [12]
or Proposition 3 in [3], and also book [1]). We remark that for continuous external
fields, the inequality in (1) holds everywhere, which implies that equality holds in (2).
The energy problems with external fields on the sphere were a subject of investiga-
tion by Brauchart, Dragnev and Saff, see [24], Dragnev and Saff [8]. A comprehensive
treatment of the subject is contained in a forthcoming book [1]. In paper [2], the authors
considered the case of the unit sphere Sd1 Rd , d 3, immersed in an external
field, generated by a positive point charge, assuming that the point charges interact
via the Riesz s-potentials 1/r s , where r is the Euclidean distance between the point
charges. For the case when an external field is generated by a positive point charge
placed on the positive polar semi-axis outside of the sphere Sd1 , and more generally,
by a line charge, they obtained an equation describing the support of the extremal
measure, and also found an explicit representation for the equilibrium density. The
extensions of the results of [2] to the case of the positive point charge placed inside
of the sphere Sd1 , as well as to the external fields generated by the negative point
charges, were considered in [3,4].
The main aim of this paper is to provide a solution to the weighted energy problem
on the sphere S2 R3 , immersed in a general external field, possessing rotational
symmetry with respect to the polar axis, when support is a spherical cap. It is assumed
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 405

that the charges interact via Newtonian potential 1/r, with r denoting the Euclidean
distance between the point charges. We obtain an equation that describes the support
of the extremal measure, while also giving an explicit expression for the equilibrium
density. We then apply our results to an external field produced by a positive point
charge placed on the positive polar semi-axis, thus, in particular, recovering the cor-
responding results of [2,4] for the case of Newtonian potential in R3 . An application
to an external field, given by a quadratic polynomial, is also considered.
We remark that Theorems 4 and 5, as well as Proposition 4 below recover the
corresponding statements first obtained in [2,4], for the case of Newtonian potential
in R3 . The equilibrium density appearing in Theorem 6 below, was first found in [8]
for the case of general Riesz potentials.
Let (r, , ) be spherical coordinates in R3 , with 0 r , 0 , and
0 2 . A spherical cap on the sphere S2 , centered at the North Pole, is defined
via an angle , 0 < , as

C N , := {(r, , ) : r = 1, 0 , 0 2 }.

Similarly, a spherical cap centered at the South Pole, is defined in terms of an angle
, 0 < , as

C S, := {(r, , ) : r = 1, , 0 2 }.

We begin by recording sufficient conditions on an external field Q, that guarantee

that the extremal support S Q of the equilibrium measure Q is a spherical cap C S, ,
centered at the South Pole. The following proposition is a consequence of a more
general statement, proved in [2].
Proposition 1 Let the external field Q be rotationally invariant about the polar axis
x3 , that is Q(x) = Q(x3 ), where x = (x1 , x2 , x3 ) S2 . Suppose that Q(x3 ) is an
increasing convex function on [1, 1]. Then the support of the extremal measure Q
is a spherical cap centered at the South Pole, that is S Q = C S, .
The following result is an important step towards the recovery of the equilibrium
measure.
Theorem 1 Suppose that Q C 2 (N ), where N is an open neighborhood of S Q =
C S, on the sphere S2 . Then the equilibrium measure Q is absolutely continuous
with respect to the Lebesgue surface measure, with a locally bounded density, that is
d Q = f () sin d d, where f L ([, ]).
The support S Q is a main ingredient in determining the equilibrium measure Q
itself. Indeed, if S Q is known, the equilibrium measure Q can be recovered by solving
the singular integral equation

1
d(y) + Q(x) = FQ , x S Q , (3)
|x y|

where FQ is a constant [see (2)].

406 M. Bilogliadov

We solve this equation using the results of [6], and thus obtain the following two
theorems, that describe explicitly the equilibrium density when support S Q is either
a spherical cap C N , , centered at the North Pole, or C S, , a spherical cap centered at
the South Pole.

Theorem 2 Let Q C 2 (N ), where N is an open neighborhood of S Q in S2 . Assume

that S Q is a spherical cap C N , centered at the North Pole, with 0 < . Let

2 1 d g(t) sin t dt
F() = , (4)
sin d cos cos t

where

1 d t Q( ) sin d
g(t) = . (5)
4 dt 0 cos cos t

Then the density f of the equilibrium measure Q is given by

   
FQ 2 1 + cos 1 + cos
f () = 1+ tan1 + F(), (6)
4 cos cos cos cos

where 0 , and the constant FQ is uniquely defined by



FQ = 1 2 F() sin d . (7)
sin + 0

An analogous statement for the support being a spherical cap C S, centered at the
South Pole, is of the following nature.

Theorem 3 Let Q C 2 (N ), where N is an open neighborhood of S Q in S2 . Assume

that S Q is a spherical cap C S, , centered at the South Pole, with 0 < . Let

2 1 d g(t) sin t dt
F() = , (8)
sin d cos t cos

where

1 d Q( ) sin d
g(t) = . (9)
4 dt t cos t cos

Then the density f of the equilibrium measure Q is given by

   
FQ 2 1 cos 1 cos
f () = 1+ tan1
4 cos cos cos cos
+ F(), , (10)
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 407

and the constant FQ is uniquely defined by



FQ = 1 2 F() sin d . (11)
sin +

2 Applications

We begin by considering the case of no external field, when the support is a spherical
cap centered at the South Pole, that is S Q = C S, , Q = 0. The equilibrium density for
the spherical cap C N , , centered at the North Pole, for the case of no external field,
was first found by Collins [6]. Note that the equilibrium measure obtained in [6], does
not have mass 1. The equilibrium measure for the spherical cap centered at the South
Pole C S, , was also found in [8], and in [2].

Proposition 2 The density of the equilibrium measure of a spherical cap C S, with

no external field is
  

1 2 1 cos 1 1 cos
f () = 1+ tan ,
4( + sin ) cos cos cos cos
. (12)

The capacity of C S, is

1
cap(C S, ) = ( + sin ). (13)

Suppose now that the sphere S2 is immersed in an external field Q, that satisfies
the conditions of Proposition 1. Then the support S Q of the weighted equilibrium
measure Q will be a spherical cap C S, , centered at the South Pole. One of the
ways to determine the angle , which defines the extremal support C S, , is via the
Newtonian analog of the MhaskarSaff F-functional. Originally introduced for the
case of logarithmic potential [15], it was extended by Brauchart et al. [2] to the case
of the Riesz potentials on the sphere Sd1 , for d 3. Here we adapt the approach
from [2]. We begin with a definition.

Definition 1 The F-functional of a compact subset E S2 of positive (Newtonian)

capacity is defined as

F(E) := W (E) + Q(x) d E (x), (14)

where W (E) is the Newtonian energy of the compact E and E is the equilibrium
measure (with no external field) on E.

The main objective of introducing the F-functional is its following extremal property,
proved in [2] for the general Riesz potentials.
408 M. Bilogliadov

Proposition 3 Let Q be an external field on S2 . Then F-functional is minimized for

S Q = supp( Q ).
For E = C S, , the functional F takes the form


F(C S, ) = 2+ Q() sin d
2( + sin )
 
2 1 cos
+ Q() sin d
cos cos
 

2 1 1 cos
Q() tan sin d . (15)
cos cos

Consider the case of an external field Q, generated by a positive point charge of

magnitude q, hovering over the sphere S2 on the x3 -axis at a distance h above the
origin,
q
Q(x) = , q > 0, p = (0, 0, x3 ), x S2 . (16)
|x hp|

It is clear that Q(x) = Q(x3 ) = q(1 + h 2 2hx3 )1/2 is a convex increasing function
on [1, 1], and is symmetric with respect to rotations about the polar axis x3 . From
Proposition 1 it then follows that the support of the equilibrium measure Q will be
a spherical cap, centered at the South Pole, that is S Q = C S, , for some [0, ).
The first step is to compute the F-functional for such external field Q.
Proposition 4 The F-functional for the spherical cap C S, in the case of Q as in
(16), has the form

q(h + 1)
F(C S, ) = 1+ 1
+ sin 2h
 

q(h 1) h 1
tan1 cot . (17)
h 2 h+1

For the external field Q generated by a point charge outside of the sphere S2 , we
can, in fact, specify when the extremal support S Q is a proper subset of the sphere S2 .
Indeed, the answer is given in terms of solution to Gonchars problem, as explained in
[4,5]. It states that if a point charge, located on the positive polar semi-axis, is too far
from the surface of the sphere S2 , or the magnitude q of the point charge is too small,
the electrostatic field, created by this point charge, is too weak to force the equilibrium
distribution from occupying the whole surface of the sphere S2 . More specifically, in
order for the extremal support S Q to be a spherical cap C S, , the height of the point
charge of magnitude q must satisfy h < h + , where h + is defined as the unique (real)
zero in (1, ) of the cubic equation

1 h+1 1
= . (18)
q (h 1)2 h
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 409

For instance, in the case of the positive unit point chargeq = 1, the critical height h +
is precisely 1 + + , where + is the golden ratio (1 + 5)/2 1.6180339887.
If a positive point charge of magnitude q is placed inside the sphere S2 , then in
order that the extremal support S Q to be a spherical cap C S, , the height of the point
charge of magnitude q must satisfy h > h , where h is defined as the unique (real)
zero in (0, 1) of the cubic equation (see [4])

1 h+1
= 1. (19)
q (1 h)2

We next write down a transcendental equation, whose solution gives the angle ,
defining the support C S, of the extremal measure Q .
Theorem 4 For the external field Q of (16), with h chosen such that h < h + or
h > h , the support S Q is a spherical cap C S, , centered at the South Pole, with
= 0 (0, ). The angle 0 is defined as a unique solution of the transcendental
equation

q(h + 1)
1+ 1
+ sin 2h
 

q(h 1) h 1 h+1
tan1 cot =q 2 . (20)
h 2 h+1 h + 1 2h cos

Now, as the support C S, is found via Eq. (20), we can recover the equilibrium measure
Q from integral Eq. (3). Using Theorem 3, by a direct calculation we obtain the
following result.
Theorem 5 Let 0 be a unique solution to (20). Set

q(h + 1) 1 1 cos 0
F() =
2 2 1 + h 2 2h cos cos 0 cos
h1
+
(1 + h 2 2h cos )3/2
 

1 h1 cos 0 cos
tan  , (21)
1 + h 2 2h cos 1 cos 0 )

q(h + 1) 0 q(h 1)
FQ = 1+ 1
0 + sin 0 2h h


h 1
tan1
0
cot . (22)
h+1 2

The density f of the equilibrium measure Q is given by

   
FQ 2 1 cos 0 1 cos 0
f () = 1+ tan1
4 cos 0 cos cos 0 cos
+F(), 0 . (23)
410 M. Bilogliadov

From Theorem 4 it follows that in the case when the point charge is placed at the North
Pole, Eq. (20) takes especially simple form. Furthermore, expression (21) suggests that
in this case the equilibrium density will have a simple structure as well.

Theorem 6 For the external field Q of (16), with the point charge placed at the
North Pole, the support S Q is a spherical cap C S, , centered at the South Pole, with
= 0 (0, ). The angle 0 is defined as a unique solution of the transcendental
equation

sec() = + q( ) + q tan . (24)

The equilibrium density is given in this case by


+ q( 0 ) 2 1 cos 0
f () = 1+
4(sin 0 + 0 ) cos 0 cos
 

1 1 cos 0 q 1 1 cos 0
tan , (25)
cos 0 cos 2 1 cos cos 0 cos
2

where 0 .

The second application of our results is concerned with the quadratic external fields.
In particular, we consider a quadratic external field

Q(x) = Q(x3 ) = ax32 + bx3 + c, x S2 , (26)

where coefficients a, b, c chosen such that 4a 2 < b2 4ac, with a, b > 0. The choice
of the coefficients implies that the external field Q is a convex increasing function on
[1, 1], while its invariance with respect to rotations about the polar axis x3 is obvious.
It then follows from Proposition 1 that the support of the extremal measure is a cap
C S, , centered at the South Pole. Calculating F-functional for such Q, we obtain the
following statement.

Proposition 5 The F-functional for the spherical cap C S, , in the case of the
quadratic external field Q, as in (26), is given by
  
1
F(C S, ) = tan 32 a cos3
36( + sin ) 2

+ 4(2a + 9b) cos2 + 4(9c 5a) cos + 4a 36b + 36c

+ 12(a + 3c)( ) + 36 . (27)

The support C S, of the extremal measure Q is determined via a transcendental

equation, as follows.
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 411

Theorem 7 For the quadratic external field Q of (26), the support S Q is a spherical
cap C S, , centered at the South Pole, with = 0 (0, ). The angle 0 is defined
as a unique solution of the transcendental equation

8a cos3 (2 sin + 3( )) + cos2 ((2a + 9b) sin

1
6(2a 3b)( )) + sin(2)(9b 22a) + 3(2a 3b)( ) + 9
2
= 9 cos ( + (2a + b)( )) 2 sin (2a 9b). (28)

Having the support C S, now determined, we compute the density of the equilibrium
measure Q by invoking Theorem 3.

Theorem 8 Let 0 be a unique solution to (28). Set


1
F() = 1 cos 0 cos 0 cos (20a cos 0 + 60a cos + 10a + 27b)
36 2

1 cos 0
(8a cos2 0 + 10a cos 0 cos + (4a + 9b) cos 0
cos 0 cos
+ (20a + 27b) cos + 15a cos(2) + 9a + 18b + 18c)


1 cos 0 cos
6 tan (15a cos + 9b cos 4a + 3c) ,
2
(29)
1 cos 0
  
1 0
FQ = tan 32 a cos3 0
36( 0 + sin 0 ) 2

+ 4(2a + 9b) cos2 0 + 4(9c 5a) cos 0 + 4a 36b + 36c

+ 12(a + 3c)( 0 ) + 36 . (30)

The density f of the equilibrium measure Q is given by

   
FQ 2 1 cos 0 1 cos 0
f () = 1+ tan1
4 cos 0 cos cos 0 cos
+ F(), 0 . (31)

3 Proofs

Proof of Theorem 1 The strategy of the proof is to show that the equilibrium potential
U Q is Lipschitz continuous on C S, . If that is established, it will imply that the normal
derivatives of U Q exist a.e. on C S, . Hence the measure Q can be recovered from
its potential by the formula

1 U Q U Q
d Q = + d S := f () sin d d,
4 n + n
412 M. Bilogliadov

where d S = sin d d is the Lebesgue surface measure on supp( Q ), n + and n

are the inner and the outer normals to the cap C S, , see [11, pp. 164165] and [10,
p. 164]. It is clear that the normal derivatives of U Q are bounded a.e. by the Lipschitz
constant, and hence we obtain f L loc ([, ]).
Our first step is to construct an extension of the external field Q to S2 in such a
way that the extremal measures for the cap C S, and the sphere S2 are the same. In
doing so, we will follow an idea of Pritsker [14]. Recall that the external field Q is a
C 2 function on an open neighborhood N of S Q in S2 . We can adjust Q in such a way
that for the new external field Q  one has


U Q (x) + Q(x) = FQ , x S Q ,
Q 
U (x) + Q(x) FQ , x S2 ,

and also Q C 2 (S2 ). To show that it is indeed possible, we first remark that the
external field Q is rotationally symmetric about the polar axis. Therefore, Q is a
function of the polar angle only, that is Q = Q(). This symmetry is also inherited
by potential, hence on the sphere S2 we have U Q (x) = U Q (), x = (r, , ) S2 .
Next, note that N = {(r, , ) : r = 1, < , 0 2 }, with some
(0, ). Pick a number
such that <
< . We define a new external field Q 

as follows: set Q() = Q(), for
< , while on [0,
] we tweak Q to Q in 
such a way that


U Q () + Q() FQ ,

and Q  C 2 (S2 ). Applying Theorem 4.2.14 from [1], we infer that  = Q and
Q
FQ = FQ .
Let u and v denote the equilibrium potentials for the minimum energy problem on
C S, and S2 , respectively. Since the equilibrium measure is the same for those two
sets, it immediately follows that u = v. Now observe that the spherical cap C S, is a
part of the sphere S2 , which is a closed smooth surface. Thus we can invoke the result
of Gtz [9] to conclude that v is C 2 in an open neighborhood U of S2 . Now recalling
that u = U Q , we deduce that U Q is Lipschitz continuous on C S, . 

Proof of Theorem 2 Assume that S Q = C N , . From Theorem 1 we know that d Q =

f () sin d d, where f L
loc ([0, ]).
In what follows, we will need an expression for the distance between a point on a
sphere S2 and another point in the space R3 , which is not on the surface of the sphere
S2 . Let

x = (r sin 1 cos 1 , r sin 1 sin 1 , r cos 1 ) R3 ,

y = (sin 2 cos 2 , sin 2 sin 2 , cos 2 ) S2 ,
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 413

be such two points, written in spherical coordinates. Then, for the distance |x y|,
one has

|x y|2 = r 2 sin2 1 cos2 1 + sin2 2 cos2 2 2r sin 1 sin 2 cos 1 cos 2

+ r 2 sin2 1 sin2 1 + sin2 2 sin2 2 2r sin 1 sin 2 sin 1 sin 2
+ r 2 cos2 1 + cos2 2 2r cos 1 cos 2
= r 2 + 1 2r (cos 1 cos 2 + sin 1 sin 2 cos(1 2 ))
= r 2 + 1 2r ,

where = cos 1 cos 2 + sin 1 sin 2 cos(1 2 ).

The potential U Q of Q has the form

 
Q
2 f ( ) sin d d
U (r, , ) =  , (32)
0 0 1 + r 2 2 r

where = cos cos + sin sin cos( ).

On the sphere S2 , we have r = 1. Hence, from (32) it is clear that the potential
U Q on the sphere S2 is

  2 f ( ) sin d d
U Q (, ) = .
0 0 2 2

Equation (3) now takes the form

  2 f ( ) sin d d
= FQ Q(), 0 , (33)
0 0 2 2

where = cos cos + sin sin cos( ).

Equation (33) was first considered and solved in [6], in connection with the prob-
lem of electrified spherical cap. The solution of this equation is based on ideas of
Copson [7], who considered a similar problem for the disk in the plane. We present
the derivation of solution to (33), which is more tailored to our needs, here.
The first step is to transform a somewhat cumbersome term 2 2 . First, note that
     

sin sin = 2 sin cos 2 sin cos .
2 2 2 2

Next, using the half-angle identities, it can be shown that

     

1 cos cos = 2 sin2 cos2 + sin2 cos2 .
2 2 2 2
414 M. Bilogliadov

Therefore, we see that

     
2 2 2 2
2 2 = 4 sin cos + sin cos
2 2 2 2
    

2 2 sin cos 2 sin cos cos( )
2 2 2 2
= a 2 + b2 2ab cos( ),

where

 

a := 2 sin cos ,
2 2
  

b := 2 sin cos .
2 2

Note that since 0 < , it is clear that a > 0 and b > 0 for all and 0 and
0 . We need a special case of Copsons lemma [7, p. 16].

Lemma 1 If a and b are positive numbers, then

 2  min (a,b)
d dt
 =4 . (34)
0 a 2 + b2 2ab cos 0 a t 2 b2 t 2
2

In view of Lemma 1, the inner integral in left hand side of Eq. (33) is transformed as
 2  2
d d
= 
0 2 2 0 a 2 + b2 2ab cos( )
 min (a,b) dt
=4 .
0 a t 2 b2 t 2
2

One can easily check that a < b for < , while for > , we have a > b. Splitting
the interval of integration of the outer integral in the left hand side of Eq. (33), we
rewrite Eq. (33) as follows,
  b   a
dt dt
f ( ) sin d + f ( ) sin d
0 0 a 2 t 2 b2 t 2 0 a t 2 b2 t 2
2

1
= (FQ Q()), 0 .
4

By virtue of the substitution

  

t = 2 cos cos tan ,
2 2 2
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 415

we can further obtain

 
1 d
f ( ) sin d
2 0 0 cos cos cos cos
 
1 d
+ f ( ) sin d
2 0 cos cos cos cos
1
= (FQ Q()), 0 . (35)
4

Inverting the order of integration in the first integral in the left hand side of (35), as
 
d
f ( ) sin d
0 0 cos cos cos cos
 
d f ( ) sin d
= ,
0 cos cos cos cos

we recast Eq. (35) into

 
d 1 f ( ) sin d 1
= (FQ Q()), 0 .
0 cos cos 2 cos cos 4
(36)

Letting
 1 f ( ) sin d
S( ) = 0 , (37)
2 cos cos

we see that Eq. (36) becomes

 S( ) d 1
= (FQ Q()), 0 . (38)
0 cos cos 4

Equation (38) is an Abel type integral equation. Since Q C 2 , the solution of (38) is
[13, p. 50, # 23]

1 d (FQ Q()) sin d
S( ) = , 0 . (39)
4 d 0 cos cos

Observing that Eq. (37) is again an Abel type integral equation with respect to
f ( ) sin , we solve it and obtain

2 1 d S( ) sin d
f ( ) = , 0 . (40)
sin d cos cos
416 M. Bilogliadov

Denote

1 d sin Q( ) d
g( ) = , (41)
4 d 0 cos cos

and let

2 1 d g( ) sin d
F( ) = , 0 . (42)
sin d cos cos

In view of (41) and (42), expression (40) takes the form

 

FQ 1 d sin d sin d
f ( ) = d
2 2 sin d cos cos d 0 cos cos
+F( ), 0 . (43)

Executing the sequence of integrations and differentiations on the right hand side of
(43), we arrive to

  

FQ 2 1 + cos 1 1 + cos
f ( ) = 1+ tan + F( ), (44)
4 cos cos cos cos

which is the desired expression (6).

We now show how to find the Robin constant FQ . Recall that Q has mass 1, so
that
   2
1= d Q = f () sin d d. (45)
0 0

Inserting expression (44) into (45), we obtain


1 = 2 F() sin d
0
   

FQ 2 1 + cos 1 1 + cos
+ 1+ tan sin d.
2 0 cos cos cos cos
(46)

It is easy to see that

 
1 + cos
sin d = 2 sin .
0 cos cos
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 417

Making the change of variables t = (cos cos )/(1 + cos ), and then integrating
by parts, one can show that

 
1 + cos (1 cos )
tan1 sin d = + sin .
0 cos cos 2

Using the last two facts, we see that

   

2 1 + cos 1 1 + cos
1+ tan sin d
0 cos cos cos cos
4 2 2
= 1 cos + sin (1 cos ) sin +

2
= (sin + ).

Therefore,
 FQ
1 = 2 F() sin d + (sin + ),
0

and thus


FQ = 1 2 F() sin d .
+ sin 0

This is formula (7), as desired. 

Proof of Theorem 3 If S Q = C S, , Eq. (3) assumes the form

  2 f ( ) sin d d
= FQ Q(), , (47)
0 2 2

where = cos cos +sin sin cos( ). Via the change of variables 
= ,
we transform (47) into
  2 f 0 ( ) sin d d
= FQ Q 0 (), 0 
, (48)
0 0 2 2

with = , f 0 (
) = f ( 
) and Q 0 (
) = Q( 
), and 
= cos 
cos +
sin 
sin cos( ). The integral Eq. (48) is of the form (33). Hence Theorem 2
applies, and we obtain

2 1 d sin t g0 (t) dt
F0 (
) = ,
sin 
d

cos  cos t
418 M. Bilogliadov

where

1 d t sin Q 0 ( ) d
g0 (t) = .
4 dt 0 cos cos t

The density f 0 of the equilibrium measure Q in this case is given by

   
FQ 2 1 + cos 1 + cos
f 0 (
) = 1+ tan1 + F0 (
),
4 cos 
cos cos 
cos

where 0 
. Going back to the variable via = 
, after some algebra,
we find
 
1 d sin Q( ) d 2 1 d sin t g(t) dt
g(t) = , F() = ,
4 dt t cos t cos sin d cos t cos

and thus, for ,

   
FQ 2 1 cos 1 cos
f () = 1+ tan1 + F().
4 cos cos cos cos

For the Robin constant FQ , in this case we similarly obtain the expression


FQ = 1 2 F() sin d .
sin +

Proof of Proposition 4 The external field Q, generated by a positive point charge of

magnitude q, located on the polar axis at the distance h from the origin, has the
following expression in terms of spherical coordinates,

q
Q() =  . (49)
1 + h 2h cos
2

We now insert expression (49) into (15), and evaluate the integrals on the right hand
side of (15). The first integral on the right hand side of (15) evaluates as follows,
  sin d
Q() sin d = q 
1 + h 2 2h cos


q
= (1 + h) 1 + h 2 2h cos . (50)
h
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 419

Next, we deal with the second integral on the right hand side of (15). We have

 
1 cos
Q() sin d
cos cos

sin d
= q 1 cos 
1 + h 2h cos cos cos
2
 
2q 1 + h + 2 h cos(/2)
= sin log . (51)
h 2 1 + h 2 2h cos

We now turn to the last remaining integral on the right hand side of (15). Namely,

 
1 cos
1
Q() tan sin d
cos cos
 
1 cos sin d
=q tan1 
cos cos 1 + h 2 2h cos
 a 
q 1 1 1a
= tan du,
2h 1 c u au

where we set u = cos , a = cos , and c = (h 2 + 1)/2h. Integrating by parts, and

then using the substitution a u = t 2 , it can be shown that

  
a 1 1 1a 1 1a
tan du = c a + 2 c + 1 tan
1 cu a u 1+a
 
c1 (1 + a)(c 1)
+2 1a tan1
1a (1 a)(c + 1)

1
+ log( c + 1 + a + 1) log(c a) .
2

After some algebra, we can conclude that

 
1 cos
1
Q() tan sin d
cos cos
 
q 1 h1
= (h + 1) + 2(h 1) tan cot
2h 2 h+1

 
 2q h + 1 + 2 h cos(/2)
1 + h 2h cos + sin
2 log .
h 2 1 + h 2 2h cos
420 M. Bilogliadov

Inserting all of the above auxiliary calculations into expression (15), after simplifica-
tions, we obtain the following expression for F(C S, ),

q(h + 1)
F(C S, ) = 1+ 1
+ sin 2h
 

q(h 1) h 1
tan1 cot .
h 2 h+1

Hence the functional F(C S, ) assumes the claimed form. 

Proof of Proposition 5 Inserting expression (26) into the formula for the Mhaskar
Saff functional (15), we see that


F(C S, ) = 2+ (a cos2 + b sin + c) sin d
2( + sin )
 
2 1 cos
+ (a cos2 + b sin + c) sin d
cos cos
 

2 1 1 cos
(a cos + b sin + c) tan
2
sin d .
cos cos

Each of the integrals on the right hand side of the last expression, can be easily evaluated
via the substitution u = cos . Evaluating those integrals, and inserting them into the
expression for F(C S, ), after some algebra, we arrive at the desired expression (27).


Proof of Theorem 7 Let

  
1
w() = tan 32 a cos3 + 4(2a + 9b) cos2
36( + sin ) 2


+4(9c 5a) cos + 4a 36b + 36c + 12(a + 3c)( ) + 36 .

(52)

Differentiating (52) with respect to and simplifying, we obtain

1
w () = (), (53)
3( + sin )

where


() = 6 sin2 w() + 8a cos3 + 2(3b 2a) cos2
2
+(3c 5a 3b) cos + a 3b 3c. (54)
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 421

Therefore, the critical points of w() are given by solutions of the transcendental
equation


6 sin2 w() + 8a cos3 + 2(3b 2a) cos2
2
+ (3c 5a 3b) cos + a 3b 3c = 0,

or, equivalently,

8a cos3 (2 sin + 3( )) + cos2 ((2a + 9b) sin 6(2a 3b)( ))

1
+ sin(2)(9b 22a) + 3(2a 3b)( ) + 9
2
9 cos ( + (2a + b)( )) 2 sin (2a 9b) = 0.

Rearranging the latter, we obtain (28).

We proceed by showing the existence and uniqueness of a critical point of w().
We will be making use of an argument developed in [2]. First, observe that

lim () = 6 lim w() 6a + 6b 6c

1
= 6 lim 6a + 6b 6c
+ sin
= +.

Hence, there is a smallest 0 [0, ) such that () > 0 for (0 , ). If 0 = 0,

then w() is strictly increasing on (0, ), and attains minimum at = 0. If 0 > 0,
we have that () > 0 for (0 , ). Taking into account the continuity of (), by
passing to the limit 0 + in the latter inequality, we infer that (0 ) 0. Since
0 was the smallest such that () > 0 on (0 , ), we deduce that (0 ) = 0.
As the sign of w  () is determined by the sign of (), it is clear that w  () > 0
on (0 , ), and w  (0 ) = 0. Next, suppose that (0, ) is a critical point of w(),
that is w  ( ) = 0. Using expression (53), we easily find that

1
w  () = 12 sin2 w  ()
3( + sin ) 2

 
+ sin() 3w() 24a cos2 4(3b 2a) cos (3c 5a 3b) .

(55)

Our goal is to show that w ( ) > 0. Indeed, from (55) it is clear that

sin( )
w  ( ) =
3( + sin )

3w( ) 24a cos2 4(3b 2a) cos (3c 5a 3b) ,
422 M. Bilogliadov

and so the sign of w  ( ) is determined by the sign of the expression 3w( )

24a cos2 4(3b 2a) cos (3c 5a 3b). As is a critical point of w, from
(53) and (54) it follows that

3(1 cos )w( )

 
= 8a cos3 + 2(3b 2a) cos2 + (3c 5a 3b) cos + a 3b 3c .

Taking into account that the sign of w ( ) is the same as the sign of w  ( )(1 cos ),
it is a straightforward calculation to see that the sign of w ( ) is, in fact, determined
by the sign of

m( ) = 16 cos3 + 2(3
b 14) cos2 + 4(2 3
b) cos + 4 + 6
b,

where we denoted  b := b/a > 2. Setting t = cos (1, 1), abusing notation, we
consider the function

m(t) = 16t 3 + 2(3

b 14)t 2 + 4(2 3
b)t + 4 + 6
b, 1 < t < 1.

First assume that 0 t < 1. Then m  (t) < 0 on [0, 1), so that m(t) is a strictly
decreasing function on [0, 1). This obviously entails m(t) > m(1), for all t [0, 1).
A direct calculation shows that m(1) = 0, and thus m(t) > 0 for 0 t < 1. If
1 < t 0, it follows that we need to demonstrate the positivity of

p(t) = 16t 3 + 2(3

b 14)t 2 4(2 3
b)t + 4 + 6
b, 0 t < 1.

Using trivial estimates, we see that p(t) > 0, for 0 t < 1. Combining the previous
two estimates, we deduce that m( ) > 0. Thus w ( ) > 0, as desired.
We are now able to conclude that any critical point of w() is a minimum of w().
Since w() is smooth on (0, ), we see that 0 is a unique local minimum for w()
on (0, ). Thus we are only left to show that 0 is a global minimum as well. Indeed,
we observe that w  () > 0 on (0 , ), and w  () < 0 on (0, 0 ). Hence () > 0
on (0 , ), and () < 0 on (0, 0 ). This means that w() has exactly one global
minimum on [0, ), which is either a unique solution 0 (0, ) of the transcendental
Eq. (28), if it exists, or 0 = 0, if such a solution fails to exist. 

Proof of Theorem 8 Inserting Q() = a cos2 + b cos + c into (9), we easily find

sin t
g(t) = (8a cos2 t + 2(2a + 3b) cos t a + 3b + 3c). (56)
12 1 + cos t

Next, according to (8), we need to evaluate

 g(t) sin t dt
I () = .
0 cos t cos
Weighted energy problem on the unit sphere 423

Substituting (56) into the above integral, we see that


1 cos2 t sin2 t dt
I () = 8a
12 0 1 + cos t cos t cos

cos t sin2 t dt
+2(2a + 3b)
0 1 + cos t cos t cos


sin2 t dt
+(3b + 3c a) .
0 1 + cos t cos t cos

All of the integrals on the right hand side of the last expression are readily evaluated
via the elementary substitution u = cos t. Evaluating the integrals and simplifying,
we find that
 
1 1
I () = 8a 1 cos 0 cos 0 cos (16 cos2 0
12 48
+4(5 cos 0 2) cos ) 4 cos 0 + 15 cos(2) + 9)


1 1 cos 0 cos
+ (1 cos )(4 cos + 5 cos(2) + 7) tan
16 1 cos 0

1
+2(2a + 3b) 1 cos 0 cos 0 cos (2 cos 0 + 3 cos 1)
4


1 1 cos 0 cos
+ (1 cos )(3 cos + 1) tan
4 1 cos 0

cos 0 cos
+(3b + 3c a) (1 cos ) tan1
1 cos 0



+ 1 cos 0 cos 0 cos . (57)

Differentiating the last expression, and upon inserting the result into (8), after some
algebra, we deduce that

1
F() = 1 cos 0 cos 0 cos (20a cos 0 + 60a cos + 10a + 27b)
36 2

1 cos 0
(8a cos2 0 + 10a cos 0 cos + (4a + 9b) cos 0
cos 0 cos
+(20a + 27b) cos + 15a cos(2) + 9a + 18b + 18c)


cos 0 cos
6 tan1 (15a cos2 + 9b cos 4a + 3c) .
1 cos 0

At last, we compute the Robin constant FQ . By (11) and (8), taking into account that

2 1 d g(t) sin t dt
F() =
sin d 0 cos t cos
424 M. Bilogliadov

2 1
= I  (),
sin

we easily see that formula (11) reduces to

FQ = 1 + 4(I (0 ) I ( )) .
sin 0 + 0

Inserting (57) into the latter expression, after simplifications, we infer that
  
1 0
FQ = 32 a cos3 0 + 4(2a + 9b) cos2 0
tan
36( 0 + sin 0 ) 2


+4(9c 5a) cos 0 + 4a 36b + 36c + 12(a + 3c)( 0 ) + 36 .

This completes the proof of Theorem 8. 

Acknowledgments The author would like to thank his doctoral advisor Prof. Igor E. Pritsker for suggesting
the problem and stimulating discussions. The author expresses gratitude to Prof. Edward B. Saff for his
kind permission to use a reference from the forthcoming book [1], and the referee for helpful comments
and suggestions.

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