Whitney-type extension theorems for jets generated by Sobolev functions

Abstract: Let $L^m_p(R^n)$, $p\in [1,\infty]$, be the homogeneous Sobolev space, and let $E\subset R^n$ be a closed set. For each $p>n$ and each non-negative integer $m$ we give an intrinsic characterization of the restrictions to $E$ of $m$-jets generated by functions $F\in L^{m+1}_p(R^n)$. Our trace criterion is expressed in terms of variations of corresponding Taylor remainders of $m$-jets evaluated on a certain family of "well separated" two point subsets of $E$. For $p=\infty$ this result coincides with the classical Whitney-Glaeser extension theorem for $m$-jets. Our approach is based on a representation of the Sobolev space $L^{m+1}_p(R^n)$, $p>n$, as a union of $C^{m,(d)}(R^n)$-spaces where $d$ belongs to a family of metrics on $R^n$ with certain "nice" properties. Here $C^{m,(d)}(R^n)$ is the space of $C^m$-functions on $R^n$ whose partial derivatives of order $m$ are Lipschitz functions with respect to $d$. This enables us to show that, for every non-negative integer $m$ and every $p\in (n,\infty)$, the very same classical linear Whitney extension operator provides an almost optimal extension of $m$-jets generated by $L^{m+1}_p$-functions.