In harmonic analysis, the restriction conjecture, also known as the Fourier restriction conjecture, is a conjecture about the behaviour of the Fourier transform on curved hypersurfaces.12 It was first hypothesized by Elias Stein.3 The conjecture states that two necessary conditions needed to solve a problem known as the restriction problem in that scenario are also sufficient.23
The restriction conjecture is closely related to the Kakeya conjecture, Bochner-Riesz conjecture and the local smoothing conjecture.45
Statement
The restriction conjecture states that for certain q and n, where represents the Lp norm, or and means that for some constant .6
The requirements of q and n set by the conjecture are that and .6
The restriction conjecture has been proved for dimension as of 2021.6
References
References
- Ansede, Manuel (2025-07-14). "What is the smallest space in which a needle can be rotated to point in the opposite direction? This mathematician has finally solved the Kakeya conjecture". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
- Kinnear, George (7 February 2011). "Restriction Theory" (PDF). webhomes.maths.ed.ac.uk.
- Stedman, Richard James (September 2013). "The Restriction and Kakeya Conjectures" (PDF). University of Birmingham.
- Tao, Terence (2024-11-17). "Terence Tao (@tao@mathstodon.xyz)". Mathstodon. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
- Cepelewicz, Jordana (2023-09-12). "A Tower of Conjectures That Rests Upon a Needle". Quanta Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
- Kinnear, George (7 February 2011). "Restriction Theory" (PDF).