The \(\bar{\partial}_p\) equation on weakly pseudo-convex CR manifolds of dimension 3 (Q813927)

Let \(M\) be a smooth, compact, orientable, (weakly) pseudoconvex manifold of dimension three, embedded in \(\mathbb{C}_{N}\) (\(N \geq 2\)), of codimension one or more, and endowed with the induced CR structure. The authors show that if \(\overline{\partial}_{b}\) has closed range in \(\mathcal{L}^{2}(M)\), then it has closed range in \(H^{s}(M)\) for all \(s >0\). Here, \(H^{s}(M)\) denotes the usual \(\mathcal{L}^{2}\)-Sobolev space of order \(s\). This complements a result of the second author, who proved this theorem when the dimension of \(M\) is at least five [Adv. Math. 199, No. 2, 356--447 (2006; Zbl 1091.32017)]; however without having to assume that the range is closed in \(\mathcal{L}^{2}(M)\): this closedness is part of her theorem. The present authors conjecture that when the dimension of \(M\) is three, pseudoconvexity and embeddability should likewise imply closedness of the range in \(\mathcal{L}^{2}(M)\). `None of the current methods, however, is strong enough' to prove this conjecture.