Geometry of \(1\)-codimensional measures in Heisenberg groups (Q2073761)

This paper contains an analogue of Preiss' celebrated theorem on the rectifiability of measures with density in euclidean space [\textit{D. Preiss}, Ann. Math. (2) 125, 537--643 (1987; Zbl 0627.28008)] in the context of the Heisenberg groups \(\mathbb{H}^n\). More precisely, if a Radon measure in \(\mathbb{H}^n\) has positive and finite density in codimension \(1\) at almost every point, the author proves that its tangent measurs at almost every point are supported on vertical hyperplanes (Theorem 1.2). Coupled with another work in which the same author proves a Marstrand-Mattila rectifiability criterion [``Marstrand-Mattila rectifiability criterion for 1-codimensional measures in Carnot groups'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2007.03236}]), this implies that the measure is \(C^1_H\) rectifiable, a counterpart to euclidean rectifiability in Carnot groups. A good historical account is given in the introduction of the paper. The scheme of the proof follows roughly that of Preiss' theorem: one starts by proving that at almost every point, tangent measures are uniform measures (a measure \(\mu\) is \(m\)-uniform if at every point \(x\) of its support, for every \(r>0\) there holds \(\mu(B(x,r)) = r^m\)). Then one shows that uniform measures of codimension \(1\) in Heisenberg groups are supported on quadrics (Theorem 1.4), this uses very strongly the fact that the norm considered is the Koranyi norm, which has a particular algebraic structure (writing a point of \(\mathbb{H}^n\) in horizontal and vertical coordinates: the norm is given by \(||x||=||(x_H,x_T)|| =(|x_H|^4+|x_T|^2)^{1/4}\)). By contrast, in euclidean space, codimension \(1\) uniform measures are supported on conics. Having done this, one separates flat uniform measures from non-flat ones via a careful study of uniform cones (Theorems 1.6 and 1.7). These cones are the tangents at infinity of uniform measures and flat measures are separated from non flat uniform cones. One can then show that at almost every point, the tangents must be flat, concluding the proof.