Homeomorphism with zero Jacobian: sharp integrability of the derivative (Q710919)

It is shown that for \(N\geq2\) there is a homeomorphism \(f\) of \([0,1]^N\) of class \(W^{1,p}\) for all \(p\in[1,N)\), even \[ \sup_{0<\varepsilon\leq N-1} \varepsilon\int_{[0,1]^N}| Df|^{N-\varepsilon}<\infty, \] such that \(f\) is the identity on the boundary of \([0,1]^N\) but \(\det Df(x)=0\) almost everywhere. Recall that if \(f\in W^{1,1}\) is a homeomorphism of \([0,1]^N\) with \(\det Df(x)=0\) a.e.\ then \(f\) maps a null set onto a set of full measure by the area formula of \textit{P. Hajłasz} [Colloq. Math. 64, 93--101 (1993; Zbl 0840.26009)]. It is known that no homeomorphism \(f\) of \([0,1]^N\) can satisfy \[ \lim_{\varepsilon\to0^+} \varepsilon\int_{\Omega}| Df|^{N-\varepsilon}=0, \] since \(f\) would then map null sets to null sets [see \textit{J. Kauhanen, P. Koskela} and \textit{J. Malý}, Mich. Math. J. 49, 169--181 (2001; Zbl 0997.30018)]. Hence, the obtained integrability condition for \(| Df|\) is almost the best one can expect for such a map \(f\).