On the Hartogs extension theorem for unbounded domains in \(\mathbb{C}^n\) (Q2675322)

Let \(\Omega\subset \mathbb C^n\), \(n\ge 2\), be a smoothly bounded domain with connected boundary \(\partial \Omega\). If \(\Omega\) is relatively compact in \(\mathbb C^n\), then by the classical Hartogs-Bochner theorem, every CR function on \(\partial \Omega\) has a holomorphic extension to \(\Omega\). In general, the Hartogs-Bochner extension theorem does not hold for unbounded domains. The authors consider Hartogs type extension theorems for unbounded domains in \(\mathbb C^n\) and CR distributions: \textit{Hartogs extension holds for \(\Omega\)} if every CR distribution on \(\partial \Omega\) is the boundary value of some holomorphic function on \(\Omega\) with polynomial growth along \(\partial \Omega\). The main theorem states that Hartogs extension holds for \(\Omega\) if and only if the envelope of holomorphy of \(\mathbb C^n\setminus \bar \Omega\) equals \(\mathbb C^n\). In particular, if \(\bar \Omega\) contains a closed complex subvariety of dimension \(n-1\), then Hartogs extension does not hold for \(\Omega\). The paper gives a detailed discussion of the connected results in the literature and puts the newly obtained into perspective.