Regularity of minimizing extrinsic polyharmonic maps in the critical dimension (Q2268175)

Let \(m=2l\), \(\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^m\) an open set, and \(N\) a smooth, compact submanifold of \(\mathbb{R}^n\). The author studies energy functionals on \(H^l(\Omega;N)\) under homogeneity, coercivity, ellipticity, geometric compatibility, and lower semicontinuity conditions. The main result of the paper establishes that if a map in \(H^l(\Omega;N)\) is energy minimizing, then it belongs to \(C^\infty(\Omega;N)\).