Extremal discs and holomorphic extension from convex hypersurfaces (Q942010)

A holomorphic mapping \(\varphi:\Delta\rightarrow\mathbb C^n\) is said to be an analytic disc if \(\varphi\) is smooth up to \(\partial\Delta\) (\(\Delta\) stands for the unit disc). We say that an analytic disc \(\varphi:\Delta\rightarrow D\) is extremal for a domain \(D\subset\mathbb C^n\) if for every other analytic disc \(\psi:\Delta\rightarrow D\), if \(\psi(0)=\varphi(0)\) and \(\psi'(0)=\lambda\varphi'(0)\) for some \(\lambda\in\mathbb C\), then \(\lambda\in\Delta\). The authors prove the following extension theorem, which partially answers a conjecture formulated by \textit{J.~Globevnik} and \textit{E. L.~Stout} in [Duke Math. J. 64, No. 3, 571--615 (1991; Zbl 0760.32002)]. Let \(D_2\Subset D_1\Subset\mathbb C^n\) be domains such that \(D_1\) is strongly convex, \(\partial D_1\in\mathcal C^k\) with \(k\geq6\), and \(\partial D_2\in\mathcal C^2\). Assume that \(D_2\) is strongly convex with respect to the extremal discs of \(D_1\), i.e., for every extremal disc \(\varphi\) in \(D_1\), the order of tangency of \(\varphi(\Delta)\) to \(\partial D_2\) is \(\geq2\). Let \(f\in\mathcal C(\partial D_1)\) extend holomorphically along each extremal disc of \(D_1\) which is tangent to \(\partial D_2\). Then \(f\) extends holomorphically to \(D_1\) and the extension is continuous up to \(\partial D_1\).