In this note we take some initial steps in the investigation of a fourth order analogue of the Yamabe problem in conformal geometry. The Paneitz constants and the Paneitz invariants considered are believed to be very helpful to understand the topology of the underlined manifolds. We calculate how those quantities change, analogous to how the Yamabe constants and the Yamabe invariants do, under the connected sum operations.
In this paper, we study eigenvalue of linear fourth order elliptic operators in divergence form with Dirichlet boundary condition on a bounded domain in a compact Riemannian manifolds with boundary (possibly empty) and find a general inequality for them. As an application, by using this inequality, we study eigenvalues of this operator on compact domains of complete submanifolds in a Euclidean space.
We prove some inequalities of Payne-Pólya-Weinberger-Yang type for eigenvalues of fourth-order elliptic operators in weighted divergence form on complete Riemannian manifolds which generalizes the corresponding result for the clamped plate problem. We also prove estimates for lower order eigenvalues that contain some of the estimates from the literature. As an application of our results, we obtain eigenvalues estimates for the bi-drifted Cheng-Yau operator.
We give a new, connected-sum-like construction of Riemannian metrics with special holonomy G_2 on compact 7-manifolds. The construction is based on a gluing theorem for appropriate elliptic partial differential equations. As a prerequisite, we also obtain asymptotically cylindrical Riemannian manifolds with holonomy SU(3) building up on the work of Tian and Yau. Examples of new topological types of compact 7-manifolds with holonomy G_2 are constructed using Fano 3-folds.
In this paper we study a class of Finsler metrics defined by a Riemannian metric and an 1-form. We classify those of projectively flat in dimension $n\geq3$ by a special class of deformations. The results show that the projective flatness of such kind of Finsler metrics always arises from that of some Riemannian metric.
We prove the compactness of solutions to general fourth order elliptic equations which are L^1-perturbations of the Q-curvature equation on compact Riemannian 4-maniods. Consequently, we prove the global existence and convergence of the Q-curvature flow on a generic class of Riemannian 4-manifolds. As a by product, we give a positive answer to an open question by A. Malchiodi on the existence of bounded Palais-Smale sequences for the Q-curvature problem when the Paneitz operator is positive with trivial kernel.
We prove that a gradient shrinking Ricci soliton with fourth order divergence-free Riemannian tensor is rigid. For the $4$-dimensional case, we show that any gradient shrinking Ricci soliton with fourth order divergence-free Riemannian tensor is either Einstein, or a finite quotient of the Gaussian shrinking soliton $\mathbb{R}^4$, $\mathbb{R}^2\times\mathbb{S}^2$ or the round cylinder $\mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{S}^3$. Under the condition of fourth order divergence-free Weyl tensor, we have the same results.
We consider several differential-topological invariants of compact 4-manifolds which directly arise from Riemannian variational problems. Using recent results of Bauer and Furuta, we compute these invariants in many cases that were previously intractable. In particular, we are now able to calculate the Yamabe invariant for certain connected sums of complex surfaces.
We study a class of fourth order geometric equations defined on a 4-dimensional compact Riemannian manifold which includes the Q-curvature equation. We obtain sharp estimates on the difference near the blow-up points between a bubbling sequence of solutions and the standard bubble.
Under a vanishing hypothesis, Donaldson and Friedman proved that the connected sum of two self-dual Riemannian 4-Manifolds is again self-dual. Here we prove that the same result can be extended over to the positive scalar curvature case.
We study the asymptotics of the number N(t) of geometrically distinct closed geodesics of a Riemannian or Finsler metric on a connected sum of two compact manifolds of dimension at least three with non-trivial fundamental groups and apply this result to the prime decomposition of a three-manifold. In particular we show that the function N(t) grows at least like the prime numbers on a compact 3-manifold with infinite fundamental group. It follows that a generic Riemannian metric on a compact 3-manifold has infinitely many geometrically distinct closed geodesics. We also consider the case of a c…
A 4-dimensional Riemannian manifold equipped with a circulant structure, which is an isometry with respect to the metric and its fourth power is the identity, is considered. The almost product manifold associated with the considered manifold is studied. The relation between the covariant derivatives of the almost product structure and the circulant structure is obtained. The conditions for the covariant derivative of the circulant structure, which imply that an almost product manifold belongs to each of the basic classes of the Staikova-Gribachev classification, are given.
We construct Riemannian manifolds with completely integrable geodesic flows, in particular various nonhomogeneous examples. The methods employed are a modification of Thimm's method, Riemannian submersions and connected sums.
We consider a 4-dimensional Riemannian manifold M endowed with a right skew-circulant tensor structure S, which is an isometry with respect to the metric g and the fourth power of S is minus identity. We determine a class of manifolds (M, g, S), whose curvature tensors are invariant under S. For such manifolds we obtain properties of the Ricci tensor. Also we get expressions of the sectional curvatures of some special 2-planes in a tangent space of (M, g, S).
We study the biharmonic Steklov eigenvalue problem on a compact Riemannian manifold $Ω$ with smooth boundary. We give a computable, sharp lower bound of the first eigenvalue of this problem, which depends only on the dimension, a lower bound of the Ricci curvature of the domain, a lower bound of the mean curvature of its boundary and the inner radius. The proof is obtained by estimating the isoperimetric ratio of non-negative subharmonic functions on $Ω$, which is of independent interest. We also give a comparison theorem for geodesic balls.
A 4-dimensional Riemannian manifold equipped with an endomorphism of the tangent bundle, whose fourth power is the identity, is considered. The matrix of this structure in some basis is circulant and the structure acts as an isometry with respect to the metric. Such manifolds are constructed on 4-dimensional real Lie groups with Lie algebras of two remarkable types. Some of their geometric characteristics are obtained.
We develop a gluing procedure designed to obtain canonical metrics on connected sums of Einstein four-manifolds. The main application is an existence result, using two well-known Einstein manifolds as building blocks: the Fubini-Study metric on $\mathbb{CP}^2$ and the product metric on $S^2 \times S^2$. Using these metrics in various gluing configurations, critical metrics are found on connected sums for a specific Riemannian functional, which depends on the global geometry of the factors. Furthermore, using certain quotients of $S^2 \times S^2$ as one of the gluing factors, critical metrics o…
This is the fourth in a series of papers where we prove a conjecture of Deser and Schwimmer regarding the algebraic structure of ``global conformal invariants''; these are defined to be conformally invariant integrals of geometric scalars. The conjecture asserts that the integrand of any such integral can be expressed as a linear combination of a local conformal invariant, a divergence and of the Chern-Gauss-Bonnet integrand. The present paper lays out the second half of this entire work: The second half proves certain purely algebraic statements regarding local Riemannian invariants; these we…
We consider a class (M, g, q) of four-dimensional Riemannian manifolds M, where besides the metric g there is an additional structure q, whose fourth power is the unit matrix. We use the existence of a local coordinate system such that there the coordinates of g and q are circulant matrices. In this system q has constant coordinates and q is an isometry with respect to g. By the special identity for the curvature tensor R generated by the Riemannian connection of g we define a subclass of (M, g, q). For any (M, g, q) in this subclass we get some assertions for the sectional curvatures of two-p…
Recently, it has been shown that the statistical manifold, related to exponential families, has a Frobenius manifold structure and appears as the fourth class of Frobenius manifolds. It has a structure of a projective manifold over a rank two Frobenius algebra $\frak{A}$, being the algebra of paracomplex numbers and generated by $1, ε$ such that $ε^2=1$. This result is a key step towards an algebraization of the results concerning the manifold of probability distributions and thus offers a new perspective on it. In this paper, we prove that the fourth Frobenius manifold is decomposed into a pa…
Let (M,g) be a compact Riemannian manifold with dimension n > 2. The Yamabe problem is to find a metric with constant scalar curvature in the conformal class of g, by minimizing the total scalar curvature. The proof was completed in 1984. Suppose (M',g') and (M'',g'') are compact Riemannian n-manifolds with constant scalar curvature. We form the connected sum M' # M'' of M' and M'' by removing small balls from M' and M'' and joining the S^{n-1} boundaries together. In this paper we use analysis to construct metrics with constant scalar curvature on M' # M''. Our description is quite explicit, …
An explicit lower bound for the mass of an asymptotically flat Riemannian 3-manifold is given in terms of linear growth harmonic functions and scalar curvature. As a consequence, a new proof of the positive mass theorem is achieved in dimension three. The proof has parallels with both the Schoen-Yau minimal hypersurface technique and Witten's spinorial approach. In particular, the role of harmonic spinors and the Lichnerowicz formula in Witten's argument is replaced by that of harmonic functions and a formula introduced by the fourth named author in recent work, while the level sets of harmoni…
A 4-dimensional Riemannian manifold M, equipped with an additional tensor structure S, whose fourth power is minus identity, is considered. The structure S has a skew-circulant matrix with respect to some basis of the tangent space at a point on M. Moreover, S acts as an isometry with respect to the metric g. A fundamental tensor is defined on such a manifold (M,g,S) by g and by the covariant derivative of S. This tensor satisfies a characteristic identity which is invariant to the usual conformal transformation. Some curvature properties of (M,g,S) are obtained. A Lie group as a manifold of t…
We present several new space-periodic solutions of the static vacuum Einstein equations in higher dimensions, both with and without black holes, having Kasner asymptotics. These latter solutions are referred to as gravitational solitons. Further partially compactified solutions are also obtained by taking appropriate quotients, and the topologies are computed explicitly in terms of connected sums of products of spheres. In addition, it is shown that there is a correspondence, via Wick rotation, between the spacelike slices of the solitons and black hole solutions in one dimension less. As a co…
In this paper we construct Ricci-positive metrics on the connected sum of products of arbitrarily many spheres provided the dimensions of all but one sphere in each summand are at least 3. There are two new technical theorems required to extend previous results on sums of products of two spheres. The first theorem is a gluing construction for Ricci-positive manifolds with corners generalizing a gluing construction of Perelman for Ricci-positive manifolds with boundaries. Our construction gives a sufficient condition for gluing together two Ricci-positive manifolds with corners along isometric …
We prove an L^2-estimate involving Ricci curvature and a harmonic 1-form on a closed oriented Riemannian 3-manifold admitting a solution of any rescaled Seiberg-Witten equations. We also give a necessary condition to be a monopole class on some special connected sums.
For a closed Riemannian orbifold $O$, we compare the spectra of the Laplacian, acting on functions or differential forms, to the Neumann spectra of the orbifold with boundary given by a domain $U$ in $O$ whose boundary is a smooth manifold. Generalizing results of several authors, we prove that the metric of $O$ can be perturbed to ensure that the first $N$ eigenvalues of $U$ and $O$ are arbitrarily close to one another. This involves a generalization of the Hodge decomposition to the case of orbifolds with manifold boundary. Using these results, we study the behavior of the Laplace spectrum o…
Conformal harmonic maps from a 4-dimensional conformal manifold to a Riemannian manifold are maps satisfying a certain conformally invariant fourth order equation. We prove a general existence result for conformal harmonic maps, analogous to the Eells-Sampson theorem for harmonic maps. The proof uses a geometric flow and relies on results of Gursky-Viaclovsky and Lamm.
We study a class of fourth order curvature flows on a compact Riemannian manifold, which includes the gradient flows of a number of quadratic geometric functionals, as for instance the L2 norm of the curvature. Such flows can develop a special kind of singularities, that could not appear in the Ricci flow, namely singularities where the manifold collapses with bounded curvature. We show that this phenomenon cannot occur if we assume a uniform positive lower bound on the Yamabe invariant. In particular, for a number of gradient flows in dimension four, such a lower bound exists if we assume a b…
We offer an example of the second order Kawaguchi metric function the extremal flow of which generalizes the flat space-time model of the semi-classical spinning particle to the framework of the pseudo-Riemannian space-time. The general shape of the variational Euler-Poisson equation of the fourth order in the (pseudo-)Riemannian space is being developed too.
We prove that the moduli space of complete Riemannian metrics of bounded geometry and uniformly positive scalar curvature on an orientable 3-manifold is path-connected. This generalizes the main result of the fourth author [Mar12] in the compact case. The proof uses Ricci flow with surgery as well as arguments involving performing infinite connected sums with control on the geometry.
We look at the functional Y(M) = int_M K(x) dV(x) for compact Riemannian 2d-manifolds M, where K(x) = (2d)! (d!)^-1 (4pi)^-d int_T prod_k=1^d K_t_2k,t_2k+1(x) dt involves products of d sectional curvatures K_ij(x) averaged over the space T sim O(2d) of all orthonormal frames t=(t_1, ... ,t_2d). A discrete version Y_disc(M) with K_d(x) = (d!)^-1 (4pi)^-d sum_sigma prod_k=1^d K_sigma(2k-1),sigma(2k) sums over all permutations sigma of 1,..,2d. Unlike Euler characteristic which by Gauss-Bonnet-Chern is int_M K_GBC dV=X(M), the quantities Y or Y_disc are in general metric dependent. We are interes…
We show that for a suitable class of ``Dirac-like'' operators there holds a Gluing Theorem for connected sums. More precisely, if $M_1$ and $M_2$ are closed Riemannian manifolds of dimension $n\ge 3$ together with such operators, then the connected sum $M_1 # M_2$ can be given a Riemannian metric such that the spectrum of its associated operator is close to the disjoint union of the spectra of the two original operators. As an application, we show that in dimension $n\equiv 3$ mod 4 harmonic spinors for the Dirac operator of a spin, $\Spinc$, or $\Spinh$ manifold are not topologically obstruct…
For a Spin(9)-structure on a Riemannian manifold M^16 we write explicitly the matrix psi of its Kähler 2-forms and the canonical 8-form Phi. We then prove that Phi coincides up to a constant with the fourth coefficient of the characteristic polynomial of psi. This is inspired by lower dimensional situations, related to Hopf fibrations and to Spin(7). As applications, formulas are deduced for Pontrjagin classes and integrals of Phi and Phi^2 in the special case of holonomy Spin(9).
This is the fourth article of our series. Here, we study weighted norm inequalities for the Riesz transform of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on Riemannian manifolds and of subelliptic sum of squares on Lie groups, under the doubling volume property and Gaussian upper bounds.
Given a compact four-dimensional Riemannian manifold $(M, g)$ with boundary, we study the problem of existence of Riemannian metrics on $M$ conformal to $g$ with prescribed $Q$-curvature in the interior $\mathring{M}$ of $M$, and zero $T$-curvature and mean curvature on the boundary $\partial M$ of $M$. This geometric problem is equivalent to solving a fourth-order elliptic boundary value problem (BVP) involving the Paneitz operator with boundary conditions of Chang-Qing and Neumann operators. The corresponding BVP has a variational formulation but the corresponding variational problem, in the…
We study compactness for nonnegative solutions of the fourth order constant $Q$-curvature equations on smooth compact Riemannian manifolds of dimension $\ge 5$. If the $Q$-curvature equals $-1$, we prove that all solutions are universally bounded. If the $Q$-curvature is $1$, assuming that Paneitz operator's kernel is trivial and its Green function is positive, we establish universal energy bounds on manifolds which are either locally conformally flat (LCF) or of dimension $\le 9$. Moreover, assuming in addition that a positive mass type theorem holds for the Paneitz operator, we prove compact…
In this paper we prove that, given a compact four dimensional smooth Riemannian manifold (M,g) with smooth boundary there exists a metric conformal to g with constant T-curvature, zero Q-curvature and zero mean curvature under generic and conformally invariant assumptions. The problem amounts to solving a fourth order nonlinear elliptic boundary value problem (BVP) with boundary conditions given by a third-order pseudodifferential operator, and homogeneous Neumann one. It has a variational structure, but since the corresponding Euler-Lagrange functional is in general unbounded from below, we l…
