Whitney's extension theorem and the finiteness principle for curves in the Heisenberg group (Q6100298)

Summary: Consider the sub-Riemannian Heisenberg group \(\mathbb{H}\). In this paper, we answer the following question: given a compact set \(K \subseteq \mathbb{R}\) and a continuous map \(f : K \to \mathbb{H}\), when is there a horizontal \(C^m\) curve \(F : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{H}\) such that \(F|_K = f\)? \textit{H. Whitney} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 36, 63--89 (1934; Zbl 0008.24902)] originally answered this question for real valued mappings, and \textit{C. Fefferman} [Ann. Math. (2) 164, No. 1, 313--359 (2006; Zbl 1109.58016); Ann. Math. (2) 166, No. 3, 779--835 (2007; Zbl 1161.46013)] provided a complete answer for real valued functions defined on subsets of \(\mathbb{R}^n\). We also prove a finiteness principle for \(C^{m, \sqrt{\omega}}\) horizontal curves in the Heisenberg group in the sense of \textit{Y. Brudnyi} and \textit{P. Shvartsman} [Int. Math. Res. Not. 1994, No. 3, 129--139 (1994; Zbl 0845.57022); Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 353, No. 6, 2487--2512 (2001; Zbl 0973.46025)].