Towards a theory of area in homogeneous groups (Q2415225)

Consider a graded nilpotent Lie group \(G = H^1\otimes \cdots \otimes H^\iota \), with linear layers \(H^j\), such that \(\operatorname{Lie}(G) = \mathcal{V}_1\otimes \cdots \otimes \mathcal{V}_\iota\), with \([\mathcal{V}_i,\mathcal{V}_j] \subset \mathcal{V}_{i+j}\), \(\mathcal{V}_\iota \not= \{0\} = \mathcal{V}_k\) for \(k>\iota\). The dilations \(\delta_r\) (for \(r>0\)) are the linear mappings on \(G\) such that \(\delta_r(h) = r^jh\) for \(h\in H^j\); they turn \(G\) into a so-called \textit{homogeneous group}. Let \(h_j:= \dim(H^j)\) and \(m_j := \sum_{i=1}^jh_j\). Fix a \textit{graded basis} of \(G\), i.e., \((e_1, \ldots, e_q)\) such that \((e_{m_{j-1}+1}, \ldots, e_{m_j})\) is a basis of \(H^j\). The \textit{degree} of \(H^j\) and \(\mathcal{V}_j\) is \(j\). Denote by \(X_i\in \operatorname{Lie}(G)\) the left-invariant vector field such that \(X_i(0)=e_i\), which has degree \(d_i =\min\{k\mid i\le m_k\}\). Put a graded left-invariant Riemannian metric on \(G\equiv T_0G\) making the layers \(H^j\) pairwise orthogonal. To any multi-index \(I= (i_1,\ldots, i_k) \in \{1,\ldots,q\}^k\) such that \(1\le i_1\le\ldots\le i_k\le q\) associate \(X_I:= X_{i_1}\wedge\ldots \wedge X_{i_k}\in \bigwedge^k\operatorname{Lie}(G)\), and its degree \(d(X_I):= d_{i_1}+\cdots + d_{i_k}\). The \(M\)-projection of a vector \(\xi = \sum_{I} c_IX_I\in \bigwedge^k\operatorname{Lie}(G)\) is \(\pi_M(\xi) := \sum_I 1_{\{d(X_I)=M\}} c_IX_I\in \bigwedge^k_M\operatorname{Lie}(G)\). Denote by \(\Sigma\) an \(n\)-dimensional \(C^1\) submanifold of \(G\). A \textit{tangent \(n\)-vector} of \(\Sigma\) at \(p\in \Sigma\) is \(\tau_\Sigma(p) = t_1\wedge\ldots\wedge t_n\), where \((t_1,\ldots,t_n)\) is a basis of \(T_p\Sigma\). The \textit{pointwise degree} of \(\Sigma\) at \(p\in \Sigma\) is \(d_\Sigma(p):= \max\{M\in \mathbb{N}\mid \pi_{M,p}(\tau_\Sigma(p))\not=0\}\), and the \textit{degree} of \(\Sigma\) is \(d(\Sigma):= \max\{d_\Sigma(p)\mid p\in \Sigma\}\in\mathbb{N}^*\). \(p\in\Sigma\) has maximum degree when \(d_\Sigma(p)= d(\Sigma)\). The \textit{Lie horizontal tangent space} of \(\Sigma\) at \(p\in \Sigma\) is \(\mathcal{A}_p\Sigma := \{X\in \operatorname{Lie}(G)\mid X\wedge \pi_{d_\Sigma(p)}(\xi_{p,\Sigma})=0\}\), where \(\xi_{p,\Sigma}\in\bigwedge^n\operatorname{Lie}(G)\) satisfies \(\xi_{p,\Sigma}(p)= \tau_\Sigma(p)\). \(p\in \Sigma\) is said \textit{algebraically regular} when \(\mathcal{A}_p\Sigma\) is a subalgebra of \(\operatorname{Lie}(G)\). In this case, \(A_p(\Sigma):= \exp[\mathcal{A}_p\Sigma]\) is the \textit{horizontal tangent space} of \(\Sigma\) at \(p\). A \textit{horizontal subgroup} \(H\) is a homogeneous subgroup \(H\subset H^1\subset G\). A point \(p\in \Sigma\) is said \textit{horizontal} when it is algebraically regular and \(A_p(\Sigma)\) is horizontal. \(\Sigma\) is said \textit{horizontal} when all its points are horizontal. A \textit{vertical subgroup} \(N\subset G\) is a homogeneous subgroup \(N=N_\ell\otimes H^{\ell+1}\otimes \cdots \otimes H^\iota \), for some \(1\le \ell\le \iota\) and a linear \(N_\ell\subset H^\ell\). A point \(p\in \Sigma\) is said \textit{transversal} when it is algebraically regular and \(A_p(\Sigma)\) is vertical. \(\Sigma\) is said \textit{transversal} when it contains a transversal point. Considering an algebraically regular point \(p\in \Sigma\) having maximum degree, and assuming that either \(p\) is horizontal or transversal, or \(n=1\), or \(\iota=2\), the author establishes a ``blow-up'' theorem, that provides an explicit local expansion of a local chart of \(\Sigma\) at \(p\), expressed in terms of the coordinates in some convenient orthonormal graded basis and their degrees. This expansion then yields an explicit expression for the Federer density of \(\Sigma\) at \(p\). As a consequence, the author derives a Federer-like area formula for \(\Sigma\) (yielding an explicit relationship between the intrinsic measure of \(\Sigma\) and a spherical measure), provided it is either horizontal or transversal, or \(1\)-dimensional, or (roughly) \(\iota=2\). Finally, when \(\Sigma\) is horizontal and a multiradial distance is considered, the author deduces an explicit expression of its Hausdorff measure in terms of some spherical measure.