A non-linear version of Bourgain's projection theorem (Q6056483)

Summary: We prove a version of Bourgain's projection theorem for parametrized families of \(C^2\) maps, which refines the original statement even in the linear case by requiring non-concentration only at a single natural scale. As one application, we show that if \(A\) is a Borel set of Hausdorff dimension close to \(1\) in \(\mathbb{R}^2\) or close to \(3/2\) in \(\mathbb{R}^3\), then for \(y\in A\) outside of a very sparse set, the pinned distance set \(\{|x-y|:x\in A\}\) has Hausdorff dimension at least \(1/2+c\), where \(c\) is universal. Furthermore, the same holds if the distances are taken with respect to a \(C^2\) norm of positive Gaussian curvature. As further applications, we obtain new bounds on the dimensions of spherical projections, and an improvement over the trivial estimate for incidences between \(\delta \)-balls and \(\delta \)-neighborhoods of curves in the plane, under fairly general assumptions. The proofs depend on a new multiscale decomposition of measures into ``Frostman pieces'' that may be of independent interest.