Absolute continuity of quasiconformal mappings on curves (Q2458412)

A homeomorphism \(f:X\rightarrow Y\) between metric spaces \((X,d_X)\) and \((Y,d_Y)\) is said to be quasiconformal if it satisfies \[ H_f(x) := \limsup_{r\rightarrow 0} H_f(x,r) \leq H <\infty \eqno (1) \] for all \(x\in X\), where \[ H_f(x,r) = \frac{L_f(x,r)}{l_f(x,r)} \, , \] \[ L_f(x,r)=\sup\{d_Y(f(x),f(y)) : d(x,y) \leq r\} \, , \] and \[ l_f(x,r)=\inf\{d_Y(f(x),f(y)) : d(x,y) \leq r\} \, . \] This is the metric definition of quasiconformality, equivalent in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) to an analytic definition requiring \(f\in W_{loc}^{1,n}(\mathbb{R}^n;\mathbb{R}^n)\) and \(| Df(x)| ^n \leq KJ_f(x)\) almost everywhere. This equivalence was established by \textit{F. W. Gehring} [Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn. Ser. AI Math. 281 (1960; Zbl 0090.05303); Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 103, 353--393 (1962; Zbl 0113.05805)], who in addition, proved absolute continuity on almost all lines for such \(f\). Quasiconformal mappings have been considered in non-Riemannian settings in connection with rigidity theorems and on the Heisenberg and Carnot groups. In such general settings substantial difficulties arise in proving results about absolute continuity on lines. \textit{J. Heinonen} and \textit{P. Koskela} [(*) Invent. Math. 120, 61--79 (1995; Zbl 0832.30013)] offered a new approach for the analysis on Carnot groups based on showing first that quasiconformal maps are quasisymmetric. This study was carried over by \textit{J. Heinonen} and \textit{P. Koskela} [Acta Math. 181, 1--61 (1998; Zbl 0915.30018)] to a class of Ahlfors \(Q\)-regular metric spaces that support a suitable Poincaré inequality. On the other hand, using the Besicovitch covering theorem, it was shown in (*) that in Euclidean spaces, absolute continuity on almost all lines does follow if \(H_f(x)\) is replaced by \(h_f(x):=\liminf_{r\rightarrow 0} H_f(x,r)\) in the definition of quasiconformality. The main result of the present gives a generalization to the case when \(X,Y\) are locally Ahlfors \(Q\)-regular. Theorem 1. Let \(X,Y\) be locally Ahlfors \(Q\)-regular metric spaces, \(Q>1\). Suppose that \(X\) is proper and a homeomorphism \(f:X\rightarrow Y\) satisfies \(h_f(x) <\infty\) for all \(x\in X\backslash E\), where \(E\) has \(\sigma\)-finite \((Q-1)\)-dimensional Hausdorff measure and that \(h_f(x)\leq H <\infty\) almost everywhere. Then \(f\in W_{loc}^{1,1}(X;Y)\). The conclusion of the theorem guarantees that \(f\) is absolutely continuous on \(1\)-modulus almost every curve. This is the first result in spaces other than Euclidean where it has been possible to replace \(H_f(x)\) with \(h_f(x)\). Moreover, earlier results did not allow for exceptional sets even for \(H_f(x)\). The proof of Theorem 1 is substantially different from other approaches in the literature, making no use of eventual nice foliations of \(X\) by curves (such as in Euclidean spaces), or of techniques based on the Poincaré inequality. The authors, instead, employ a new covering theorem tailored to their needs, and as a consequence, are able to offer simpler proofs of the \(h_f(x)\) result in Euclidean spaces. For Carnot groups the authors establish further: Theorem 2. Let \(f\) be a self-homeomorphism of a Carnot group \(G\) with homogeneous dimension \(Q>1\) such that \(h_f(x)<\infty\) for all \(x\in G\backslash E\), where \(E\) has \(\sigma\)-finite \((Q-1)\)-dimensional Hausdorff measure and that \(h_f(x)\leq H<\infty\) almost everywhere. Then \(f\) is quasisymmetric, \(f\in W_{loc}^{1,Q}(G;G)\), and \(| f_*(x)| ^Q \leq K J_f(x)\) almost everywhere. Here \(f_*\) is the horizontal differential of \(f\) at \(x\) and \(J_f\) the determinant of \(f_*\).