On the weak limits of smooth maps for the Dirichlet energy between manifolds (Q871725)

Let \( M \) and \( N \) be smooth compact Riemannian manifolds without boundary. The author gives a description of the space of weak sequential limits of smooth maps in \( W^{1,2}(M,N) \). In particular, he obtains a necessary and sufficient topological condition for smooth maps to be weakly sequentially dense in \( W^{1,2}(M,N) \). The reader is assumed to be thoroughly familiar with [\textit{F. B. Hang} and \textit{F. H. Lin}, Acta Math.\ 191, No.\,1, 55--107 (2003; Zbl 1061.46032)], since several definitions or results therein are used in the present article.