We study conformal actions of connected nilpotent Lie groups on compact pseudo-Riemannian manifolds. We prove that if a type-(p,q) compact manifold M supports a conformal action of a connected nilpotent group H, then the degree of nilpotence of H is at most 2p+1, assuming p <= q; further, if this maximal degree is attained, then M is conformally equivalent to the universal type-(p,q), compact, conformally flat space, up to finite covers. The proofs make use of the canonical Cartan geometry associated to a pseudo-Riemannian conformal structure.
We exhibit pseudo Riemannian manifolds which are Szabó nilpotent of arbitrary order, or which are Osserman nilpotent of arbitrary order, or which are Ivanov-Petrova nilpotent of order 3.
Pseudo-Riemannian manifolds of balanced signature which are both spacelike and timelike Jordan Osserman nilpotent of order 2 and of order 3 have been constructed previously. In this short note, we shall construct pseudo-Riemannian manifolds of signature (2s,s) for any s (which is at least 2) which are spacelike Jordan Osserman nilpotent of order 3 but which are not timelike Jordan Osserman. Our example and techniques are quite different from known previously both in that they are not in neutral signature and that the manifolds constructed will be spacelike but not timelike Jordan Osserman.
We prove that there do not exist quasi-isometric embeddings of connected nonabelian nilpotent Lie groups equipped with left invariant Riemannian metrics into a metric measure space satisfying the RCD(0,N), with N > 1. In fact, we can prove that a subRiemannian manifold whose generic degree of nonholonomy is not smaller than 2 can not be biLipschitzly embedded in any Banach space with the Radon-Nikodym property. We also get that every regular sub-Riemannian manifold do not satisfy the CD(K,N) with N > 1. We also prove that the subRiemannian manifold is infinitesimally Hilbert space.
We show that if the structure algebra of a Riemannian foliation F on a closed manifold M is nilpotent, then the integral of the Álvarez class of (M,F) along every closed path is the exponential of an algebraic number. By this result and the continuity of the Álvarez class under deformations shown in arXiv:1009.1098v2, we prove that the Álvarez class and the geometrically tautness of Riemannian foliations on a closed manifold M are invariant under deformation, if the fundamental group of M has polynomial growth.
In this article, we study complete pseudo-Riemannian manifolds whose cone admits a parallel symmetric 2-tensorfield. The situation splits in three cases: nilpotent, decomposable or complex Riemannian. In the complex Riemannian and decomposable cases we provide a classification. In the nilpotent case, we are able to describe completely only a dense open subset of the manifold. To conclude, we give examples with non-constant curvature in the nilpotent case.
In this paper, we establish a number of results about the topology of the leaves of a closed singular Riemannian foliation $(M,\fol)$. If $M$ is simply connected, we prove that the leaves are finitely covered by nilpotent spaces, and characterize the fundamental group of the generic leaves. If $M$ has virtually nilpotent fundamental group, we prove that the leaves have virtually nilpotent fundamental group as well.
We show that the tangent cone at the identity is not a complete quasiconformal invariant for sub-Riemannian nilpotent groups. Namely, we show that there exists a nilpotent Lie group equipped with left invariant sub-Riemannian metric that is not locally quasiconformally equivalent to its tangent cone at the identity. In particular, such spaces are not locally bi-Lipschitz homeomorphic. The result is based on the study of Carnot groups that are rigid in the sense that their only quasiconformal maps are the translations and the dilations.
It is known that a connected and simply-connected Lie group admits only one left-invariant Riemannian metric up to scaling and isometry if and only if it is isomorphic to the Euclidean space, the Lie group of the real hyperbolic space, or the direct product of the three dimensional Heisenberg group and the Euclidean space of dimension $n-3$. In this paper, we give a classification of left-invariant pseudo-Riemannian metrics of an arbitrary signature for the third Lie groups with $n \geq 4$ up to scaling and automorphisms. This completes the classifications of left-invariant pseudo-Riemannian m…
This paper deals with naturally reductive pseudo-Riemannian 2-step nilpotent Lie groups $(N, \la \,,\,\ra_N)$, such that $\la \,,\,\ra_N$ is invariant under a left action. The case of nondegenerate center is completely characterized. In fact, whenever $\la \,,\, \ra_N$ restricts to a metric in the center it is proved here that the simply connected Lie group $N$ can be constructed starting from a real representation $(π,\vv)$ of a certain Lie algebra $\ggo$. We study the geometry of $(N, \la \,,\,\ra_N)$ and we find the corresponding naturally reductive homogeneous structure. On the other hand,…
Let $M$ be a complete Riemannian metric of sectional curvature within $[-a^2,-1]$ whose fundamental group contains a $k$-step nilpotent subgroup of finite index. We prove that $a\ge k$ answering a question of M. Gromov. Furthermore, we show that for any $ε>0$, the manifold $M$ admits a complete Riemannian metric of sectional curvature within $[-(k+ε)^2,-1]$.
We study the question of the existence of left-invariant Sasaki contact structures on the seven-dimensional nilpotent Lie groups. It is shown that the only Lie group allowing Sasaki structure with a positive definite metric tensor is the Heisenberg group. We find a complete list of the 22 classes of seven-dimensional nilpotent Lie groups which admit pseudo-Sasaki structure. We also present a list of 25 classes of seven-dimensional nilpotent Lie groups admitting a $K$-contact structure, but not the pseudo-Sasaki structure. All the contact structures considered are central extensions of six-dime…
A flat pseudo-Euclidean Lie algebra is a real Lie algebra with a non degenerate symmetric bilinear form and a left symmetric product whose the commutator is the Lie bracket and such that the left multiplications are skew-symmetric. We show that the center of a flat pseudo-Euclidean nilpotent Lie algebra of signature $(2,n-2)$ must be degenerate and all flat pseudo-Euclidean nilpotent Lie algebras of signature $(2,n-2)$ can be obtained by using the double extension process from flat Lorentzian nilpotent Lie algebras. We show also that the center of a flat pseudo-Euclidean 2-step nilpotent Lie a…
The geodesic orbit property has been studied intensively for Riemannian manifolds. Geodesic orbit spaces are homogeneous and allow simplifications of many structural questions using the Lie algebra of the isometry group. Weakly symmetric Riemannian manifolds are geodesic orbit spaces. Here we define "naturally reductive" for pseudo-Riemannian manifolds and note that they are geodesic orbit spaces. A few years ago two of the authors proved that weakly symmetric pseudo-Riemannian manifolds are geodesic orbit spaces. In particular these results apply to pseudo-Riemannian Lorentz manifolds. There …
In this paper we consider left-invariant pseudo-Kähler structures on six-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebras. The explicit expressions of the canonical complex structures are calculated, and the curvature properties of the associated pseudo-Kähler metrics are investigated. It is proved that the associated pseudo-Kähler metric is Ricci-flat, that the curvature tensor has zero pseudo-Riemannian norm, and that the curvature tensor has some non-zero components that depend only on two or, at most, three parameters. The pseudo-Kähler structures obtained give basic models of pseudo-Kähler six-dimensio…
Let $(G,h)$ be a nilpotent Lie group endowed with a left invariant Riemannian metric, $\mathfrak{g}$ its Euclidean Lie algebra and $Z(\mathfrak{g})$ the center of $\mathfrak{g}$. By using an orthonormal basis adapted to the splitting $\mathfrak{g}=(Z(\mathfrak{g})\cap[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}])\oplus O^+\oplus (Z(\mathfrak{g})\cap[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]^\perp)\oplus O^-$, where $O^+$ (resp. $O^-$) is the orthogonal of $Z(\mathfrak{g})\cap[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$ in $[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$ (resp. is the orthogonal of $Z(\mathfrak{g})\cap[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]^\perp$ in $[\ma…
We prove Wadsley's theorem for foliations by closed non-lightlike geodesics. As an application we show that every pseudo-Riemannian and non-Riemannian 2-mainfold, all of whose time- or spacelike geodesics are closed, is diffeomorphic to $S^1\times \R$. Further we show that every pseudo-Riemannian 2-manifold with index 1 contains a non-closed timelike or spacelike geodesic.
We study the geodesics problem in Heisenberg group H (case SR and riemannian). The sheaf of infinitesimal automorphisms of the (2n,2n+1) distribution D over H is an infinite, transitive Lie algebra sheaf.
This is a survey article with a limited list of references (as required by the publisher) which appears in the Encyclopedia of Mathematical Physics, eds. J.-P. Francoise, G.L. Naber and Tsou S.T. Oxford: Elsevier, 2006. vol.4, pp.94--104.
We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of isometric immersions of a simply connected Riemannian manifold into a two-step nilpotent Lie group. This comprises the case of immersions into $H$-type groups.
PseudoH-type is a natural generalization of H-type to geometries with indefinite metric tensors. We give a complete determination of the conjugate locus including multiplicities. We also obtain a partial characterization in terms of the abundance of totally geodesic, 3-dimensional submanifolds.
It is known that there are 34 classes of isomorphic connected simply connected six-dimensional nilpotent Lie groups. Of these, only 26 classes suppose left-invariant symplectic structures \cite{Goze-Khakim-Med}. In \cite{CFU2} it is shown that 14 classes of symplectic six-dimensional nilpotent Lie groups suppose compatible complex structures and, therefore, define pseudo-Kähler metrics. In this paper we show that on the remaining 12 classes of six-dimensional nilpotent symplectic Lie groups there are left-invariant almost pseudo-Kähler metrics, and we study their geometrical properties.
We study nilpotent Lie algebras endowed with a complex structure and a quadratic structure which is pseudo-Hermitian for the given complex structure. We propose several methods to construct such Lie algebras and describe a method of double extension by planes to get an inductive description of all of them. As an application, we give a complete classification of nilpotent quadratic Lie algebras where the metric is Lorentz-Hermitian and we fully classify all nilpotent pseudo-Hermitian quadratic Lie algebras up to dimension 8 and their inequivalent pseudo-Hermitian metrics.
To determine the Lie groups that admit a flat (eventually complete) left invariant semi-Riemannian metric is an open and difficult problem. The main aim of this paper is the study of the flatness of left invariant semi Riemannian metrics on quadratic Lie groups i.e. Lie groups endowed with a bi-invariant semi Riemannian metric. We give a useful necessary and sufficient condition that guaranties the flatness of a left invariant semi Riemannian metric defined on a quadratic Lie group. All these semi Riemannian metrics are complete. We show that there are no Riemannian or Lorentzian flat left inv…
We study nice nilpotent Lie algebras admitting a diagonal nilsoliton metric. We classify nice Riemannian nilsolitons up to dimension $9$. For general signature, we show that determining whether a nilpotent nice Lie algebra admits a nilsoliton metric reduces to a linear problem together with a system of as many polynomial equations as the corank of the root matrix. We classify nice nilsolitons of any signature: in dimension $\leq 7$; in dimension $8$ for corank $\leq 1$; in dimension $9$ for corank zero.
We define a class of Riemannian and pseudo-Riemannian 2-step nilpotent Lie groups with nondegenerate centers that generalize the H-type groups of Kaplan. Examples are given and geometric properties are investigated.
We introduce a special class of nilpotent Lie groups of step 2, that generalizes the so called $H$(eisenberg)-type groups, defined by A. Kaplan in 1980. We change the presence of inner product to an arbitrary scalar product and relate the construction to the composition of quadratic forms. We present the geodesic equation for sub-semi-Riemannian metric on nilpotent Lie groups of step 2 and solve them for the case of general $H$-type groups. We also present some results on sectional curvature and the Ricci tensor of general $H$-type groups.
We consider Lie groups equipped with arbitrary distances. We only assume that the distance is left-invariant and induces the manifold topology. For brevity, we call such object metric Lie groups. Apart from Riemannian Lie groups, distinguished examples are sub-Riemannian Lie groups and, in particular, Carnot groups equipped with Carnot-Carathéodory distances. We study the regularity of isometries, i.e., distance-preserving homeomorphisms. Our first result is the analyticity of such maps between metric Lie groups. The second result is that if two metric Lie groups are connected and nilpotent th…
In this paper, we derived biharmonic equations for pseudo-Riemannian submanifolds of pseudo-Riemannian manifolds which includes the biharmonic equations for submanifolds of Riemannian manifolds as a special case. As applications, we proved that a pseudo-umbilical biharmonic pseudo-Riemannian submanifold of a pseudo-Riemannian manifold has constant mean curvature, we completed the classifications of biharmonic pseudo-Riemannian hypersurfaces with at most two distinct principal curvatures, which were used to give four construction methods to produce proper biharmonic pseudo-Riemannian submanifol…
Hedlund constructed Riemannian metrics on n-tori, $n \geq 3$ for which minimal geodesics are very rare. In this paper we construct similar examples for every nilpotent fundamental group. These examples show that Bangert's existence results of minimal geodesics are optimal for nilpotent fundamental groups.
We classify pseudo-Riemannian submersions with connected totally geodesic fibres from a real pseudo-hyperbolic space onto a pseudo-Riemannian manifold. Also, we obtain the classification of the pseudo-Riemannian submersions with (para-)complex connected totally geodesic fibres from a (para-)complex pseudo-hyperbolic space onto a pseudo-Riemannian manifold.
We determine the complete conjugate locus along all geodesics parallel or perpendicular to the center (Theorem 2.3). When the center is 1-dimensional we obtain formulas in all cases (Theorem 2.5), and when a certain operator is also diagonalizable these formulas become completely explicit (Corollary 2.7). These yield some new information about the smoothness of the pseudoriemannian conjugate locus. We also obtain the multiplicities of all conjugate points.
We answer in the affirmative the question posed by Conti and Rossi on the existence of nilpotent Lie algebras of dimension 7 with an Einstein pseudo-metric of nonzero scalar curvature. Indeed, we construct a left-invariant pseudo-Riemannian metric $g$ of signature $(3, 4)$ on a nilpotent Lie group of dimension 7, such that $g$ is Einstein and not Ricci-flat. We show that the pseudo-metric $g$ cannot be induced by any left-invariant closed $G_2^*$-structure on the Lie group. Moreover, some results on closed and harmonic $G_2^*$-structures on an arbitrary 7-manifold $M$ are given. In particular,…
We describe, by their holonomy groups, all complete simply connected irreducible non-locally symmetric pseudo-Riemannian SpinC manifolds which admit parallel spinors. So we generalize the Riemannian SpinC case and the pseudo-Riemannian Spin one.
We begin a systematic study of these spaces, initially following along the lines of Eberlein's comprehensive study of the Riemannian case. In particular, we integrate the geodesic equation, discuss the structure of the isometry group, and make a study of lattices and periodic geodesics. Some major differences from the Riemannian theory appear. There are many flat groups (versus none), including Heisenberg groups. While still a semidirect product, the isometry group can be strictly larger than the obvious analogue. Everything is illustrated with explicit examples. We introduce the notion of pH-…
In the present paper we study pseudo-Riemannian submanifolds which have 3-planar geodesic normal sections.We consider W-curves (helices) on pseudo-Riemannian submanifolds. Finally, we give neccessary and sufficient condition for a normal section to be a W-curve on pseudo-Riemannian submanifolds.
We study the geometry of pseudo-Riemannian manifolds which are Jacobi--Tsankov, i.e. J(x)J(y)=J(y)J(x) for all tangent vectors x and y. We also study manifolds which are 2-step Jacobi nilpotent, i.e. J(x)J(y)=0 for all tangent vectors x and y.
Definition of $({\cal T}_{a},{\cal T}_{b})$-pseudosymmetric semi-Riemannian manifold is given. $({\cal T}_{a},{\cal T}_{b})$-pseudosy mmetric $(N(k),ξ)$-semi-Riemannian manifolds are classified. Some results for ${\cal T}_{a}$-pseudosymmetric $(N(k),ξ)$-semi-Riemannian manifolds are obtained. $({\cal T}_{a},{\cal T}_{b},S^{\ell})$-pseudosymmetric semi-Riemannian manifolds are defined. $({\cal T}_{a},{\cal T}_{b},S^{\ell})$-pseudosymmetric $(N(k),ξ)$-semi-Riemannian manifolds are classified. Some results for $(R,{\cal T}_{a},S^{\ell})$-pseudosymmetric $(N(k),ξ)$-semi-Riemannian manifolds are ob…
A Lie group as a 4-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian manifold is considered. This manifold is equipped with an almost product structure and a Killing metric in two ways. In the first case Riemannian almost product manifold with nonintegrable structure is obtained, and in the second case - a pseudo-Riemannian one. Each belongs to a 4-parametric family of manifolds, which are characterized geometrically.
Motivated by the construction of Bach flat neutral signature Riemannian extensions, we study the space of parallel trace free tensors of type $(1,1)$ on an affine surface. It is shown that the existence of such a parallel tensor field is characterized by the recurrence of the symmetric part of the Ricci tensor.
We study the geodesic orbit property for nilpotent Lie groups $N$ when endowed with a pseudo-Riemannian left-invariant metric. We consider this property with respect to different groups acting by isometries. When $N$ acts on itself by left-translations we show that it is a geodesic orbit space if and only if the metric is bi-invariant. Assuming $N$ is 2-step nilpotent and with non-degenerate center we give algebraic conditions on the Lie algebra $\mathfrak n$ of $N$ in order to verify that every geodesic is the orbit of a one-parameter subgroup of $N\rtimes\operatorname{Auto}(N)$. In addition …
There is a well developed theory of weakly symmetric Riemannian manifolds. Here it is shown that several results in the Riemannian case are also valid for weakly symmetric pseudo-Riemannian manifolds, but some require additional hypotheses. The topics discussed are homogeneity, geodesic completeness, the geodesic orbit property, weak symmetries, and the structure of the nilradical of the isometry group. Also, we give a number of examples of weakly symmetric pseudo-Riemannian manifolds, some mirroring the Riemannian case and some indicating the problems in extending Riemannian results to weakly…
The theory of harmonic vector fields on Riemannian manifolds is generalised to pseudo-Riemannian manifolds. Harmonic conformal gradient fields on pseudo-Euclidean hyperquadrics are classified up to congruence, as are harmonic Killing fields on pseudo-Riemannian quadrics. A para-Kaehler twisted anti-isometry is used to correlate harmonic vector fields on the quadrics of neutral signature.
We prove that a foliation $(M, F)$ of codimension $q$ on a $n$-dimen\-sio\-nal pseudo-Riemannian manifold is pseudo-Riemannian if and only if any geodesic that is orthogonal at one point to a leaf is orthogonal to every leaf it intersects. We show that on the graph $G = G(F)$ of a pseudo-Riemannian foliation there exists a unique pseudo-Riemannian metric such that canonical projections are pse\-u\-do-Rieman\-ni\-an submersions and the fibres of different projections are orthogonal at common points. Relatively this metric the induced foliation $(G,\mathbb{F})$ on the graph is pseudo-Riemannian …
Cyclic Riemannian nilmanifolds are naturally reductive
College of Science, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications（南京邮电大学理学院）；School of Mathematics and Statistics, Ningbo University（宁波大学数学与统计学院）；College of Mathematics and Systems Science, Shandong University of Science and Technology（山东科技大学数学与系统科学学院）
We provide examples of naturally reductive pseudo-Riemannian spaces, in particular an example of a naturally reductive pseudo-Riemannian 2-step nilpotent Lie group $(N, < \,,\,>_N)$, such that $< \,,\,>_N$ is invariant under a left action and for which the center is degenerate. The metric does not correspond to a bi-invariant one.
We study isometries in the contact sub-pseudo-Riemannian geometry. In particular we give an upper bound on the dimension of the isometry group of a general sub-pseudo-Riemannian manifold and prove that the maximal dimension is attained for the left invariant structures on the Heisenberg group.
We formulate and prove that there are "abundant" in nilpotent orbits in real semisimple Lie algebras, in the following sense. If S denotes the collection of hyperbolic elements corresponding the weighted Dynkin diagrams coming from nilpotent orbits, then S span the maximally expected space, namely, the (-1)-eigenspace of the longest Weyl group element. The result is used to the study of fundamental groups of non-Riemannian locally symmetric spaces.
We classify the space-like biharmonic surfaces in 3-dimension pseudo-Riemannian space form, and construct explicit examples of proper biharmonic hypersurfaces in general ADS space.
We describe the possible holonomy groups of simply connected irreducible non-locally symmetric pseudo-Riemannian spin manifolds which admit parallel spinors.
An algebraic curvature tensor A is said to be Jacobi-Tsankov if J(x)J(y)=J(y)J(x) for all x,y. This implies J(x)J(x)=0 for all x; necessarily A=0 in the Riemannian setting. Furthermore, this implies J(x)J(y)=0 for all x,y if the dimension is at most 13. We exhibit a 14-dimensional algebraic curvature tensor in signature (8,6) which is Jacobi--Tsankov but which has J(x)J(y) non 0 for some x,y. We determine the group of symmetries of this tensor and show that it is geometrically realizable by a wide variety of pseudo-Riemannian manifolds which are geodesically complete and have vanishing scalar …
