Continuity of composition operators in Sobolev spaces (Q2334998)

Given a function \(f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}\), the composition operator \(T_f\) is defined by \(T_f(g):= f\circ g\), where \(g\) runs over some function space. The problem of ``automatic continuity'' of \(T_f\) consists in verifying or falsifying that \(T_f\) is always continuous in a function space \(X\) whenever \(T_f(X)\subseteq X\). In some cases (e.g., for \(X= C\)) the answer to this problem is completely trivial, in other cases surprisingly difficult, in still other cases simply unknown. For instance, the (positive) answer was given for \(X= C^1\) by \textit{J. Appell} et al. [Boll. Unione Mat. Ital. (9) 4, No. 3, 321--336 (2011; Zbl 1229.47086)], while the (negative) answer for \(X=\text{Lip}\) by means of a counterexample due to \textit{M. Z. Berkolaiko} [in: Trudy Sem. funkcional. Analizu 12, Voronez, 96--104 (1969; Zbl 0266.47053)]. Remarkably, in the case \(X=BV\) the problem of automatic continuity remained open for many decades, and was solved (positively) only recently by \textit{P. Maćkowiak} [Aequationes Math. 91, No. 4, 759--777 (2017; Zbl 1472.47050)] and, with a much simpler and elegant proof, by \textit{S. Reinwand} [Real Anal. Exch. 45, No. 1, 173--204 (2020; Zbl 1440.26004)]. The problem of automatic continuity is particularly delicate when \(T_f\) is considered in the Sobolev space \(X= W^m_p(\mathbb{R}^n)\) for \(1\le p<\infty\), \(m\in\mathbb{N}_0\), and \(n\in\mathbb{N}\). The answer is positive in many cases, as was shown by \textit{A. Ancona} for \(m=1\) and \(p=2\) [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. A 282, 871--873 (1976; Zbl 0322.31011)], by \textit{M. Marcus} and \textit{V. J. Mizel} [J. Funct. Anal. 33, 217--229 (1979; Zbl 0418.46024)] for \(m=1\) and \(p>1\), by \textit{G. Bourdaud} and \textit{M. Lanza de Cristoforis} [Stud. Math. 184, No. 3, 271--298 (2008; Zbl 1139.46030)] for \(m> n/p\), \(m\ge 2\) and \(p>1\), and by \textit{B. E. J. Dahlberg} [Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 35, 183--185 (1979; Zbl 0421.46027)] for \(1+ 1/p<m< n/p\), where the last case leads to a strong degeneracy. Summarizing, so far the three cases \(X= W^2_1(\mathbb{R}^n)\) with \(n\ge 3\), \(X= W^{n/p}_p(\mathbb{R}^n)\) with \(n>p>1\), and \(X= W^m_1(\mathbb{R}^n)\) with \(m\ge\max\{n, 2\}\) remained open, and the aim of the authors of the present paper is to fill this gap. To this end, they reduce all these cases to the problem of automatic continuity in the special potential space \(X= W^m_p(\mathbb{R}^n)\cap \dot{W}^1_{mp}(\mathbb{R}^n)\) considered previously by \textit{D. R. Adams} and \textit{M. Frazier} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 114, No. 1, 155--165 (1992; Zbl 0753.47045)]; in these spaces the problem is completely solved. Thus, this paper may be considered as a milestone in the theory of the composition operator which, in spite of its simple form, exhibits many surprising and unexpected phenomena.