An approach to symmetrization via polarization

We prove that the Steiner symmetrization of a function can be approximated in L-p(R-n) by a sequence of very simple rearrangements which are called polarizations. This result is exploited to develop elementary proofs of many inequalities, including the isoperimetric inequality in Euclidean space. In this way we also obtain new symmetry results for solutions of some variational problems. Furthermore we compare the solutions of two boundary value problems, one of them having a "polarized" geometry and we show some pointwise inequalities between the solutions. This leads to new proofs of well-known functional inequalities which compare the solutions of two elliptic or parabolic problems, one of them having a "Steiner-symmetrized" geometry. The method also allows us to investigate the case of equality in the inequalities. Roughly speaking we prove that the equality sign is valid only if the original problem has the symmetrized geometry.