On the hausdorff dimension of the singular set of stable-stationary harmonic maps (Q4719932)

The critical points of the Dirichlet energy functional of maps between two Riemannian manifolds \(M\) and \(N\) are called harmonic maps. Generally, harmonic maps into \(N\) with positive sectional curvature may have a singularity. The paper contributes to the regularity theory of minimizing harmonic maps. Results of \textit{R. Schoen} and \textit{K. Uhhlenbeck} [J. Differ. Geom. 17, 307-335 (1982; Zbl 0521.58021)] and \textit{M. Giaquinta} and \textit{E. Giusti} [Acta. Math. 148, 31-46 (1982; Zbl 0494.49031); Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa, Cl. Sci., IV. Ser. 11, No. 4, 45-55 (1984; Zbl 0543.49018)] establish that any minimizing harmonic map in \(H^{1,2}(M,N)\) is smooth except for a singular set where the Hausdorff dimension of the singular set is less than or equal to \(n-3\). It has been proved by \textit{L. C. Evans} [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 116, No. 2, 101-113 (1991; Zbl 0754.58007)] and \textit{F. Bethuel} [Manuscripta Math. 78, No. 4, 417-443 (1993; Zbl 0792.53039)] that in the case with values in spheres any stationary harmonic map is smooth away from a singular set \(Z\) with \({\mathcal H}^{n-2}(Z)=0\) where \({\mathcal H}^{n-2}\) denotes \((n-2)\)-dimensional Hausdorff measure. All known examples of stationary weak harmonic maps have \(\text{ dim}(Z)\leq n-3\). An interesting question is whether one can improve the estimate of the Hausdorff dimension of the singular set of any stationary harmonic map. The paper gives a partial answer to the question in some special cases. The main result is: Theorem A. Let \(u\in H^{1,2}(\Omega, S^k)\) be a stable stationary weakly harmonic map. Then for \(k\geq 4\), the Hausdorff dimension of the singular set of \(u\) is less than or equal to \(n-3\).