Analytic capacity, rectifiability, Menger curvature and the Cauchy integral (Q1850428)

Let \(E\) be a compact set in the complex plane \(\mathbb{C}\). We say that \(E\) is removable for bounded analytic functions if, for any open set \(U\supseteq E\), any bounded analytic function \(f: U\setminus E\to\mathbb{C}\) has an analytic extension to the whole \(U\). The Painlevé problem is to find a geometric characterization of such removable sets. The main purpose of this book is to explain recent progress on the Painlevé problem and to describe their connections with the study of \(L^2\)-boundedness of Cauchy singular integral operators on Ahlfors-regular sets and the quantitative theory of rectifiablity. In 1947, L. Ahlfors introduced the notion of analytic capacity \(\nu(E)\) for a compact set \(E\) and proved that \(E\) is removable if and only if \(\nu(E)= 0\). However, his theorem is only a trivial restatement of Painlevé's problem. By the Riemann principle for removable singularities, a singleton is removable. On the other hand, by arguments of complex analysis, continua or compact sets with non zero area are not removable. This suggests that the metric size of the set should play an important role. This observation can be stated in terms of Hausdorff dimension \(\dim H\), and one dimensional Hausdorff measure \(H^1\). More precisely, if the Hausdorff measure \(H^1(E)= 0\) then \(E\) is removable; if \(\dim H(E)> 1\), then \(E\) is not removable. In 1970--1972, Vitushkin, Garnett and Ivanov showed that the condition \(H^1(E)= 0\) is not necessary for the removability of the compact set \(E\). The sets they considered are purely unrectifiable in the sense of geometric measure theory. This leads to the Vitushkin conjecture: A compact set \(E\) is removable for bounded analytic functions if and only if \(\text{Fav}(E)= 0\), where \[ \text{Fav}(E)= \int^\pi_0| P_\theta(E)|\,d\theta \] and \(P_\theta\) is the projection on the line of \(\mathbb{C}\) that makes an angle \(\theta\) with the real axis and \(| P_\theta(E)|\) is the Lebesgue measure of the projection of \(E\) on this line. Later, Mattila, Jones and Murai found that Vitushkin's conjecture is not true if \(H^1(E)= \infty\), but left open the case of sets \(E\) with \(H^1(E)< \infty\). 1977, A. P. Calderón proved the \(L^2\)-boundedness of the Cauchy integral operator on the Lipschitz graph with small constant and his result implies a solution of the Denjoy conjecture: Let \(E\) be a subset of a rectifiable curve \(\Gamma\). Then \(E\) is removable if and only if \(H^1(E)= 0\). This motivates the following question: For which Ahlfors 1-regular sets \(E\) is the Cauchy operator bounded on \(L^2(E)\) with respect to the restriction of \(H^1\) to \(E\)? A set \(E\) is Ahlfors 1-regular if there exists \(C> 0\) such that \(C^{-1} R\leq H^1(E\cap B(x, R))\leq CR\) whenever \(x\in E\) and \(0< R< \text{diam}(E)\). In 1995, Melnikov rediscovered the Menger curvature and used it to study the semi-additivity of the analytic capacity. The Menger curvature \(c(x,y,z)\) of three non-collinear points \(x\), \(y\), \(z\) of \(\mathbb{C}\) is the inverse of the radius of the circumference passing through \(x\), \(y\), \(z\). If \(x\), \(y\), \(z\) are collinear, set \(c(x,y,z)= 0\). If \(\mu\) is a positive Radon measure on \(\mathbb{C}\), the Menger curvature of \(c^2(\mu)\) of \(\mu\) is \[ c^2(\mu)= \int\int\int c(x,y,z)^2 d\mu(x)\,d\mu(y)\,d\mu(z). \] Also, using the Menger curvature, in 1995 Melnikov and Verdera gave a simple and geometric proof of the \(L^2\) boundedness of the Cauchy operator on Lipschitz graphs and in 1996, Mattila, Melnikov and Verdera proved that the Cauchy operator is bounded on an Ahlfors-regular set \(E\) if and only if \(E\) is contained in a regular curve. From this and a previous work by M. Christ, they proved the Vitushkin conjecture for Ahlfors regular sets. Very recently, X. Tolsa gave a characterization of removable sets in terms of Menger curvature: A compact set \(E\) is not removable for bounded analytic functions if and only if \(E\) supports a positive Radon measure with linear growth and finite Menger curvature. This book is almost self contained and gives careful statements and proofs for the most of the above mentioned results. It is a good book either for researchers or for graduate students as a textbook. It is worth to point out that to read this book, only a basic knowledge of real analysis, complex analysis and measure theory is needed.