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Let us define the Sobolev space $H^1(\mathbb{R})$ as the closure of $\mathscr{C_c}^1(\mathbb{R})$ (the continuously differentiable functions on $\mathbb{R}$ with a compact support) for the norm $\int_\mathbb{R} (f^2 + f'^2)$.

I have two questions.

  1. It is well-known that for all function in $H^1(\mathbb{R})$, there exist a continuous representative. Can you confirm me that the functions of $H^1(\mathbb{R})$ are not necessarily continuous but the representative tends to $0$ at $\mp \infty$.

  2. It seems to be true that if $f$ is in $H^1(\mathbb{R})$, $f^2$ is also in $H^1(\mathbb{R})$ but I am surprised that there is not any reference (a book for example) about it.

1 Answers1

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  1. See here
  2. Let $f(x)=|x|^{-a}$, modified in such a way that it goes to $0$ at $\infty$ fast enough (so that we only need to worry about what happens at $x=0$). With the definition of $H^1$ we know $f \in H^1\iff a<1$. So, if you take $a=3/4$, then $f\in H^1$ but $f^2 \notin H^1$
Lilla
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