Harmonic curves from Euclidean domains to Heisenberg group \({\mathbb{H}}^1 \) (Q7006850)

The topic of this paper are harmonic maps of class \(C^2\) to the Heisenberg group \(\mathbb{H}^1\), here given as \(\mathbb{R}^3\) with the multiplication \((x,y,t)(x',y',t')=(x+x',y+y',t+t'-2xy'+2yx')\). Harmonic maps \(f=(x+iy,t):\mathbb{R}^n\supset\Omega\to\mathbb{H^1}\) are considered that are \(C^2\)-critical points of the Korevaar-Schoen energy, which in this particular case coincides with \(\int_\Omega|\nabla(x+iy)|^2\,dx\). Due to the geometry of the Heisenberg group, the mappings \(x\) and \(y\) have to satisfy the isotropy condition \(\partial_\alpha x\,\partial_\beta y=\partial_\beta x\,\partial_\alpha y\) for all \(\alpha,\beta\in\{1,\ldots,n\}\). This allows to write the \(x\)-component in the form \(H\circ y\) for some given \(C^2\)-function \(H\), rendering the curve of the form \((H\circ y+iy,t)\). It turns out that every non-constant harmonic map of class \(C^2\) to \(H^1\) maps \(\Omega\) to a horizontal curve.\N\NThe authors derive an elliptic Laplace-type system for the components \(x,y,t\) of that curve. This allows them to investigate the geometry of such curves, with the results including the following. (1) a Caccioppoli type estimate of the form \(\int|\nabla y|^2\eta^2\,dx\le C\int y^2|\nabla\eta|^2\,dx\) for any test function \(\eta\); (2) Liouville-type theorems; (3) the inequality \(\Delta u+|\nabla u|^2/u\ge0\) for \(u:=|H\circ y+iy|\) under some condition on \(H\); (4) comparison and maximum principles, as well as a Harnack inequality; (5) the existence of solutions for boundary value problems; (6) a Phragmèn-Lindelöf theorem; (7) a three spheres theorem.