Tangential approximation on the closed sets of Brelot harmonic space (Q1896853)

Let \(\Omega \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n\) be open and, if \(A\subseteq \Omega\), let \({\mathcal H} (A)\) denote the collection of functions which are harmonic on some open set containing \(A\). A relatively closed subset \(E\) of \(\Omega\) is said to admit uniform harmonic approximation if, for each \(u\in C(E) \cap {\mathcal H} (E^0)\) and each \(\varepsilon >0\), there exists \(\nu\in {\mathcal H} (E)\) such that \(|\nu- u|< \varepsilon\) on \(E\). Keldysh and Deny showed that a compact set \(E\) admits uniform harmonic approximation if and only if \(\Omega \setminus E\) and \(\Omega \setminus E^0\) are thin at the same points, and various generalizations of this result to axiomatic settings are known. In the Euclidean context Labrèche used fusion methods to extend this equivalence to the case of relatively closed sets \(E\). This paper presents such an extension in the context of a Brelot harmonic space, but under a strong topological hypothesis: that \(E^0\) can be written as a union of open sets (not necessarily connected), the closures of which form a locally finite family of disjoint compact sets. Under this restriction a further equivalent condition is added: for each \(u\in C(E)\cap {\mathcal H} (E^0)\) and each continuous \(\varepsilon: E\to (0, 1]\), there exists \(\nu\in {\mathcal H} (E)\) such that \(|\nu- u|< \varepsilon\) on \(E\). Superharmonic approximation is also considered. Reviewer's remark: For a precise description of when such ``tangential'' approximation is possible in the Euclidean context see the reviewer's paper [Ill. J. Math. 39, 143-157 (1995; Zbl 0810.31002)], and for an axiomatic generalization see \textit{S. J. Gardiner}, \textit{M. Goldstein} and \textit{K. GowriSankaran} [Indiana Univ. Math. J. 43, 1003-1012 (1994; Zbl 0817.31005)].