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Daniele Tampieri
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The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c^1(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect to the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, pp. 180, MR 0493669MR0493669, Zbl 0296.49031Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics""Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619MR816619, Zbl 0599.73002Zbl 0599.73002.

The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c^1(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect to the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, pp. 180, MR 0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c^1(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect to the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, pp. 180, MR0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

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Daniele Tampieri
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The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split}\begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c^1(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect to the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, pp. 180, MR 0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect to the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, pp. 180, MR 0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c^1(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect to the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, pp. 180, MR 0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

Typos and a minor addition
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Daniele Tampieri
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The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect forto the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, ppp. 180, MR 0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect for $\Omega$

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, p. 180, MR 0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

The intersection of two Caccioppoli sets is again a Caccioppoli set: as Piotr Hajlasz points out, a Caccioppoli set is simply a set of finite perimeter therefore the (standard) proof I report below is based on the following, slightly more general, definition of the (relative) perimeter of a set.

Definition. Let $S$ a Lebesgue measurable set in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For any open subset $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ the perimeter of $S$ in $\Omega$, denoted as $P(S,\Omega)$, is the variation of $\chi_S$ in $\Omega$ i.e. \begin{split} P(S,\Omega)&=\sup\left\{\int_S \mathrm{div}\varphi\,\mathrm{d}x\,:\,\varphi\in [C_c(\Omega)]^n, \|\varphi\|_\infty\leq1\right\}\\ & =\| \nabla (\chi_{S\cap\Omega})\|_{TV}=TV(S,\Omega) \end{split} The perimeter so defined is a lower-semicontinuous set function which is additive respect to the argument $\Omega$.

Theorem. Let $S$ and $T$ two Lebesgue measurable sets in $\mathbb{R}^n$: then, for any open set $\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n$ $$ P(S\cup T,\Omega)+P(S\cap T,\Omega)\leq P(S,\Omega) + P(T,\Omega) $$ Proof. We can choose two smooth sequences of functions $\{s_k\}, \{t_k\}$ in $C^\infty(\Omega)$ converging respectively to $\chi_S$ and $\chi_T$ in $L^1_{loc}(\Omega)$, for example by using partitions of unity, and such that $$ 0\leq s_k\leq 1\quad 0\leq t_k \leq 1, $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(S,\Omega)\quad \lim_{k\to\infty}\int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x=P(T,\Omega) $$ Now since $s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cap T}$ and $s_k+t_k-s_kt_k\to\chi_{S\cup T}$, the theorem follows by passing to the limit for $k\to\infty$ in the following elementary inequality $$ \int_\Omega |\nabla (s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x+\int_\Omega |\nabla (s_k+t_k-s_kt_k)|\mathrm{d}x \leq \int_\Omega |\nabla s_k|\mathrm{d}x+ \int_\Omega |\nabla t_k|\mathrm{d}x\quad\blacksquare $$ An immediate consequence of this theorem is the following corollary, which includes the sought for answer to the posed question.

Corollary. If $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets, so are $S\cup T$ and $S \cap T$.

Notes

  • The proof is taken almost verbatim from the wonderful book of Ambrosio, Fusco and Pallara ([1], §3.3 p. 144): De Giorgi, Colombini and Piccinini ([2], §1.3 pp.18-19) prove the same result in a different way and assuming from the start that $S$ and $T$ are Caccioppoli sets.
  • A direct proof of the result $P(S),P(T)<\infty\Rightarrow P(S\cap T)<\infty$ is presented by Gurtin, Williams and Ziemer ([3], p. 6) and is based on lattice and measure theoretical considerations: in fact, it is worth noting that this property of Caccioppoli sets make them very important in the formal definition of the concept of body in the modern rational continuum mechanics.
  • It is perhaps also worth to point out that the property of BV functions used by Piotr Hajlasz is in reality their original definition as conceived by Lamberto Cesari back in 1936.

[1] Ambrosio, Luigi; Fusco, Nicola; Pallara, Diego (2000). Functions of bounded variation and free discontinuity problems. Oxford Mathematical Monographs. New York and Oxford: The Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press, New York, pp. xviii+434, ISBN 0-19-850245-1, MR1857292, Zbl 0957.49001.

[2] De Giorgi, Ennio; Colombini, Ferruccio; Piccinini, Livio (1972), Frontiere orientate di misura minima e questioni collegate [Oriented boundaries of minimal measure and related questions], Quaderni (in Italian), Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, pp. 180, MR 0493669, Zbl 0296.49031.

[3] Gurtin, M. E.; Williams, W. O. & Ziemer, W. P., "Geometric measure theory and the axioms of continuum thermodynamics", Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, 1986, 92, 1-22, MR 816619, Zbl 0599.73002.

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