Let $M$ be a topological $G_2$-manifold. We prove that the space of infinitesimal associative deformations of a compact associative submanifold $Y$ with boundary in a coassociative submanifold $X$ is the solution space of an elliptic problem. For a connected boundary $\partial Y$ of genus $g$, the index is given by $\int_{\partial Y}c_1(ν_X)+1-g$, where $ν_X$ denotes the orthogonal complement of $T\partial Y$ in $TX_{|\partial Y}$ and $c_1(ν_X)$ the first Chern class of $ν_X$ with respect to its natural complex structure. Further, we exhibit explicit examples of non-trivial index.
We discuss a model for associative submanifolds in $G_{2}$-manifolds with K3 fibrations, in the adiabatic limit. The model involves graphs in a 3-manifold whose edges are locally gradient flow lines. We show that this model produces analogues of known singularity formation phenomena for associative submanifolds.
We give a sufficient condition for an associative submanifold in a G2-manifold to appear as the bubbling locus of a sequence of G2-instantons, related to the existence of a Fueter section of a bundle of ASD instanton moduli spaces over said submanifold.
We study associative submanifolds of the Berger space SO(5)/SO(3) endowed with its homogeneous nearly-parallel G2-structure. We focus on two geometrically interesting classes: the ruled associatives, and the associatives with special Gauss map. We show that the associative submanifolds ruled by a certain special type of geodesic are in correspondence with pseudo-holomorphic curves in $Gr_2^+(TS^4).$ Using this correspondence, together with a theorem of Bryant on superminimal surfaces in $S^4,$ we prove the existence of infinitely many topological types of compact immersed associative 3-folds i…
Building on ideas from [DT98; DS11; Wal17; Hay17], we outline a proposal for constructing Floer homology groups associated with a G2-manifold. These groups are generated by associative submanifolds and solutions of the ADHM Seiberg-Witten equations. The construction is motivated by the analysis of various transitions which can change the number of associative submanifolds. We discuss the relation of our proposal to Pandharipande and Thomas' stable pair invariant of Calabi-Yau 3-folds.
Every compact 3-Sasakian 7-manifold $M$ admits a canonical 2-parameter family of co-closed $\text{G}_2$-structures $φ_{a,b}$ for $a,b > 0$, as well as a foliation by $φ_{a,b}$-associative 3-folds whose leaf space $X$ is a positive quaternion-Kähler 4-orbifold. We prove that associative 3-folds in $(M,φ_{a,b})$ that are ruled by a certain type of geodesic are in correspondence with pseudo-holomorphic curves in the almost-complex 8-manifold $Z \times S^2$, where $Z$ is the twistor space of $X$ equipped with its strict nearly-Kähler structure. As an application, we construct infinitely many topol…
We derive formulas for the mean curvature of associative 3-folds, coassociative 4-folds, and Cayley 4-folds in the general case where the ambient space has intrinsic torsion. Consequently, we are able to characterize those G2-structures (resp., Spin(7)-structures) for which every associative 3-fold (resp. coassociative 4-fold, Cayley 4-fold) is a minimal submanifold. In the process, we obtain new obstructions to the local existence of coassociative 4-folds in G2-structures with torsion.
We review some results concerning the deformations of calibrated minimal submanifolds which occur in Riemannian manifolds with special holonomy. The calibrated submanifolds are assumed compact with a non-empty boundary which is constrained to move in a particular fixed submanifold. The results extend McLean's deformation theory previously developed for closed compact submanifolds.
For an element $Ψ$ in the graded vector space $Ω^*(M, TM)$ of tangent bundle valued forms on a smooth manifold $M$, a $Ψ$-submanifold is defined as a submanifold $N$ of $M$ such that $Ψ_{|N} \in Ω^*(N, TN)$. The class of $Ψ$-submanifolds encompasses calibrated submanifolds, complex submanifolds and all Lie subgroups in compact Lie groups. The graded vector space $Ω^*(M, TM)$ carries a natural graded Lie algebra structure, given by the Frölicher-Nijenhuis bracket $[-,- ]^{FN}$. When $Ψ$ is an odd degree element with $[ Ψ, Ψ]^{FN} =0$, we associate to a $Ψ$-submanifold $N$ a strongly homotopy Li…
Concerning the problem of classifying complete submanifolds of Euclidean space with codimension two admitting genuine isometric deformations, until now the only known examples with the maximal possible rank four are the real Kaehler minimal submanifolds classified by Dajczer-Gromoll \cite{dg3} in parametric form. These submanifolds behave like minimal surfaces, namely, if simple connected either they admit a nontrivial one-parameter associated family of isometric deformations or are holomorphic. In this paper, we characterize a new class of complete minimal genuinely deformable Euclidean subma…
We describe a class of compact $G_2$ orbifolds constructed from non-symplectic involutions of K3 surfaces. Within this class, we identify a model for which there are infinitely many associative submanifolds contributing to the effective superpotential of M-theory compactifications. Under a chain of dualities, these can be mapped to F-theory on a Calabi-Yau fourfold, and we find that they are dual to an example studied by Donagi, Grassi and Witten. Finally, we give two different descriptions of our main example and the associative submanifolds as a twisted connected sum.
The branched deformations of immersed compact special Lagrangian submanifolds are studied in this paper. If there exists a nondegenerate $\mathbb{Z}_2$ harmonic 1-form over a special Lagrangian submanifold $L$, we construct a family of immersed special Lagrangian submanifolds $\tilde{L}_t$, that are diffeomorphic to a branched covering of $L$ and $\tilde{L}_t$ convergence to $2L$ as current. This answers a question suggested by Donaldson. Combining with the work of Abouzaid and Imagi, we obtain constraints for the existence of nondegenerate $\mathbb{Z}_2$ harmonic 1-forms.
We give a coadjoint orbit's diffeomorphic deformation between the classical semisimple case and the semi-direct product given by a Cartan decomposition. The two structures admit the Hermitian symplectic form defined in a semisimple complex Lie algebra. We provide some applications such as the constructions of Lagrangian submanifolds.
Unlike Legendrian submanifolds, the deformation problem of coisotropic submanifolds can be obstructed. Starting from this observation, we single out in the contact setting the special class of integral coisotropic submanifolds as the direct generalization of Legendrian submanifolds for what concerns deformation and moduli theory. Indeed, being integral coisotropic is proved to be a rigid condition, and moreover the integral coisotropic deformation problem is unobstructed with discrete moduli space.
