Schwarz reflection principle, boundary regularity and compactness for \(J\)-complex curves (Q1958982)

This paper deals with the extension of the Schwarz reflection principle to the almost complex case. The almost complex structure is assumed to be real analytic. The proof is based on a boundary regularity result for \(J\)-holomorphic discs attached to a \(J\)-totally real submanifold. This also yields a refinement of the Gromov compactness theorem for curves that are holomorphic with respect to varying almost complex structures and touch varying totally real submanifolds. The ``almost complex Schwarz reflection principle'' established by the authors is the following. Denote by \(\Delta\) the unit disc in \(\mathbb{C}\), by \({ S}\) the unit circle and by \(\beta\subset { S} \) a non-empty open subarc of \( S\). Theorem 1.1. Let \((X,J)\) be a real analytic almost complex manifold and \(W\) a real analytic \(J\)-totally real submanifold of \(X\). Let \(u:\Delta \to X\) be a \(J\)-holomorphic map. Assume that \(u\) extends continuously to \(\Delta \cup \beta\) and that that \(u(\beta) \subset W\). Then \(u\) extends to a neighborhood of \(\beta\) as a (real analytic) \(J\)-holomorphic map. If \(J\) is integrable, given \(p\in \beta\), one can find local holomorphic coordinates in a neighborhood of \(u(p)\), such that \(W=\mathbb{R}^n\) in these coordinates and the result immediately follows from the classical Schwarz reflection principle. In the non-integrable case, there is no reflection since a general almost complex structure does not admit any local (anti)-holomorphic maps. But the extension result still holds. A more refined version of Theorem 1.1 (Corollary 1.2) extends the cluster points version of the Schwarz reflection principle due to \textit{C. Carathéodory} [Comment. Math. Helv., 19, No.~1, 263--278 (1946)] to the almost complex setting. The proof of Theorem 1.1 is based on the following boundary regularity result. Theorem 1.3. Let \(u:(\Delta ,\beta)\to (X,W)\) be a \(J\)-holomorphic map of class \(L^{1,2}\cap C^0(\Delta\cup\beta)\), where \(W\) is \(J\)-totally real. Then: (i) if \(J\in C^{k,\alpha}\) and \(W\in C^{k+1, \alpha}\), for some integer \(k\geq 0\) and some \(\alpha \in (0,1)\), then \(u\) is of class \(C^{k+1, \alpha}\) on \(\Delta\cup\beta\); (ii) for \(k\geq 1\), the condition \(u\in L^{1,2}\cap C ^0(\Delta\cup\beta)\) and \(u(\beta)\subset W\) can be replaced by the assumption that \(\overline{u(\Delta)}\) is compact and that the cluster set of \( u\) at \( \beta\) is contained in \(W\). For integrable \(J\), this result is due to \textit{E. Chirka} [Math. USSR, Sb. 45, 291--335 (1983); translation from Mat. Sb., Nov. Ser. 117(159), 291-336 (1982; Zbl 0525.32005)]. Weaker versions for non-integrable \(J\) were previously obtained by \textit{B. Coupet, H. Gaussier} and \textit{A. Sukhov} [Math. Z. 250, No.~1, 59--90 (2005; Zbl 1076.32028)], by \textit{H. Gaussier} and \textit{A. Sukhov} [Math. Z. 254, No.~3, 567--589 (2006; Zbl 1107.32009)] and by \textit{D. McDuff} and \textit{D. Salamon} [\(J\)-holomorphic curves and symplectic topology. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (2004; Zbl 1064.53051)]. The precise inner regularity was obtained by \textit{J.-C. Sikorav} [Some properties of holomorphic curves in almost complex manifolds. in Holomorphic Curves in Symplectic Geometry. Progress in Math. 117, Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel (1994; Zbl 0802.53001)]. The precise regularity of \(J\)-complex discs attached to a \(J\)-totally real submanifold established in Theorem 1.3 allows the authors also to prove a Gromov compactness theorem for curves that are holomorphic with respect to varying almost complex structures and touch varying totally real submanifolds (see Theorem 1.5). Related results are contained in [\textit{D. McDuff} and \textit{D. Salamon} [loc.cit.] and [\textit{V. Fromm}, Gromov Compactness in Hölder Spaces and Minimal Connections on Jet Bundles. \url{arxiv:0808.0415}]. A special case of this theorem has been dealt with in [\textit{S. Ivashkovich} and \textit{V. Shevchishin}, Commun. Contemp. Math. 4, No.~1, 65--106 (2002; Zbl 1025.32024)]. The proof of the boundary regularity result does not follow from classical results on elliptic regularity in the real analytic category since the problem at hand is not a boundary problem of Dirichlet type. The approach of the authors is different and is based on the reduction of the boundary regularity to a non-linear Riemann-Hilbert type boundary-value problem.