Sequential weak continuity of null Lagrangians at the boundary
  We show weak* in measures on $\bar\O$/ weak-$L^1$ sequential continuity of $u\mapsto f(x,\nabla u):W^{1,p}(\O;\R^m)\to L^1(\O)$, where $f(x,\cdot)$ is a null Lagrangian for $x\in\O$, it is a null Lagrangian at the boundary for $x\in\partial\O$ and $|f(x,A)|\le C(1+|A|^p)$. We also give a precise characterization of null Lagrangians at the boundary in arbitrary dimensions. Our results explain, for instance, why $u\mapsto \det\nabla u:W^{1,n}(\O;\R^n)\to L^1(\O)$ fails to be weakly continuous. Further, we state a new weak lower semicontinuity theorem for integrands depending on null Lagrangians at the boundary. The paper closes with an example indicating that a well-known result on higher integrability of determinant \cite{Mue89a} need not necessarily extend to our setting. The notion of quasiconvexity at the boundary due to J.M. Ball and J. Marsden is central to our analysis. 
Agnieszka Kalamajska, Stefan Kroemer, and Martin Kruzik
math.AP math.FA