An overdetermined problem in 2D linearised hydrostatics

Abstract: In two spatial dimensions, we discuss the relation between the solvability of Schiffer's overdetermined problem and the optimality, among sets of prescribed area, of the first eigenvalue in the buckling problem for a clamped plate and that of the first eigenvalue of the Stokes operator. For the latter, we deduce that the minimisers under area constraint that are smooth and simply connected must be discs from the fact that a pressureless velocity is a necessary condition of optimality.