Existence and regularity results for the penalized thin obstacle problem with variable coefficients

Abstract

In this paper we give a comprehensive treatment of a two-penalty boundary obstacle problem for a divergence form elliptic operator, motivated by applications to fluid dynamics and thermics. Specifically, we prove existence, uniqueness and optimal regularity of solutions, and establish structural properties of the free boundary. The proofs are based on tailor-made monotonicity formulas of Almgren, Weiss, and Monneau-type, combined with the classical theory of oblique derivative problems.