Floating Drops and Functions of Bounded Variation

A variational problem for three fluids in which gravitational and surface tension forces are in equilibrium is studied using sets of finite perimeter and functions of bounded variation. Existence theorems are proven which imply the existence of an axisymmetric floating drop. This problem has been studied previously as a free boundary problem for axisymmetric capillary surfaces by Elcrat, Neel and Siegel, but the general existence problem for arbitrary drop volumes was left open. The results presented here settle a version of this question.