Fractional Orlicz-Sobolev embeddings

The optimal Orlicz target space is exhibited for embeddings of fractional-order Orlicz-Sobolev spaces in $\mathbb R^n$. An improved embedding with an Orlicz-Lorentz target space, which is optimal in the broader class of all rearrangement-invariant spaces, is also established. Both spaces of order $s\in (0,1)$, and higher-order spaces are considered. Related Hardy type inequalities are proposed as well. An extension theorem is proved, that enables us to derive embeddings for spaces defined in Lipschitz domains. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the compactness of fractional Orlicz-Sobolev embeddings are provided.