Uniform harmonic approximation with continuous extension to the boundary (Q1922214)

Let \(E\) be a relatively closed subset of an open set \(\Omega\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\), and let \(C_e(E)\) be the space of real-valued continuous functions on \(E\) that extend continuously to the closure of \(E\) in the one-point compactification of \(\mathbb{R}^n\). Also, let \(H(\omega)\) denote the space of harmonic functions on an open set \(\omega\). The main result is a characterization of pairs \((\Omega,E)\) which have the following property: every function in \(C_e(E)\cap H(E^0)\) can be approximated uniformly on \(E\) by functions in \(H(\Omega)\) whose restrictions to \(E\) belong to \(C_e(E)\). A statement of the characterization requires some terminology. If \(\omega\) is a connected open subset of \(\Omega\), then the Aleksandroff point \({\mathcal A}\) for \(\Omega\) is said to be accessible from \(\omega\) if there is a continuous function \(f:[0,+\infty) \to\omega\) such that \(f(t)\to {\mathcal A}\) as \(t\to+\infty\). The union of \(E\) with the connected components of \(\Omega \backslash E\) from which \({\mathcal A}\) is not accessible is denoted by \(\widetilde E\). The pair \((\Omega,E)\) is shown to have the property described above if and only if \(\Omega\backslash \widetilde E\) and \(\Omega \backslash E^0\) are thin at the same points of \(E\). In the case \(n=2\), this thinness condition simplifies to the condition that \(\partial\widetilde E = \partial E\).