A note on homogeneous Sobolev spaces of fractional order

Abstract

We consider a homogeneous fractional Sobolev space obtained by completion of the space of smooth test functions, with respect to a Sobolev–Slobodeckiĭ norm. We compare it to the fractional Sobolev space obtained by the K-method in real interpolation theory. We show that the two spaces do not always coincide and give some sufficient conditions on the open sets for this to happen. We also highlight some unnatural behaviors of the interpolation space. The treatment is as self-contained as possible.