Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/iii/paper-107/1/d/solution

The conclusion holds in dimension two. Shift and change sign to obtain a nonnegative harmonic function . Its circular mean satisfies
Here the angular second derivative in the polar-coordinate Laplacian integrates to zero. Thus ; nonnegativity for every forces . For , the mean value property for harmonic functions and nonnegativity give
The removable singularity for a bounded harmonic function fills in the origin, and the harmonic Liouville theorem makes the extension constant.
The conclusion fails for : is positive and nonconstant, and its radial Laplacian vanishes away from zero. For , is a nonconstant function bounded below whose second derivative vanishes on both components of the punctured line.

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