On sequences of maps into a manifold with equibounded \(W^{1/2}\)-energies (Q2566239)

Let \(B^n\) be the unit ball in \({\mathbb R}^n\) and let \({\mathcal{Y}}\) be a smooth Riemannian manifold of dimension \(M\geq 1\), isometrically embedded in \({\mathbb R}^N\) for some \(N\geq 2\). It is assumed that \({\mathcal{Y}}\) is compact, without boundary, and, moreover, that its integral 1-homology group \(H_1({\mathcal{Y}}):= H_1({\mathcal{Y}}, {\mathbb Z})\) has no torsion, so that \(H_1({\mathcal{Y}}, X)= H_1({\mathcal{Y}})\otimes X\), for \(X={\mathbb R},~{\mathbb Q}\). In this paper, the authors characterize weak limits of sequences of graphs of smooth functions from \(B^n\) into \({\mathcal{Y}}\) with equibounded \(W^{1/2}\)-energies, \(\text{cart}^{1/2}(B^n \times{\mathcal{Y}})\), and deal with the corresponding relaxed \(W^{1/2}\)-energy. A key point is a strong density result for smooth maps in \(\text{cart}^{1/2}(B^n\times {\mathcal{Y}})\).