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.
We study Riemannian foliations with complex leaves on Kaehler manifolds. The tensor T, the obstruction to the foliation be totally geodesic, is interpreted as a holomorphic section of a certain vector bundle. This enables us to give classification results when the manifold is compact.
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 study perturbations of a partially hyperbolic toral automorphism L which is diagonalizable over C and has a dense center foliation. For a small perturbation of L with a smooth center foliation we establish existence of a smooth leaf conjugacy to L. We also show that if a small perturbation of an ergodic irreducible L has smooth center foliation and is bi-Holder conjugate to L, then the conjugacy is smooth. As a corollary, we show that for any symplectic perturbation of such an L any bi-Holder conjugacy must be smooth. For a totally irreducible L with two-dimensional center, we establish a n…
We show that the distribution of symmetry of a naturally reductive nilpotent Lie group coincides with the invariant distribution induced by the set of fixed vectors of the isotropy. This extends a known result on compact naturally reductive spaces. We also address the study of the quotient by the foliation of symmetry.
We combine classic stability results for foliations with recent results on deformations of Lie groupoids and Lie algebroids to provide a cohomological characterization for rigidity of compact foliations on compact manifolds.
We apply the Nash-Moser theorem for exact sequences of R. Hamilton to the context of deformations of Lie algebras and we discuss some aspects of the scope of this theorem in connection with the polynomial ideal associated to the variety of nilpotent Lie algebras. This allows us to introduce the space $H_{k-nil}^2(\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g})$, and certain subspaces of it, that provide fine information about the deformations of $\mathfrak{g}$ in the variety of $k$-step nilpotent Lie algebras. Then we focus on degenerations and rigidity in the variety of $k$-step nilpotent Lie algebras of dimensio…
We derive general structure and rigidity theorems for submetries $f: M \to X$, where $M$ is a Riemannian manifold with sectional curvature $\sec M \ge 1$. When applied to a non-trivial Riemannian submersion, it follows that $diam X \leq π/2 $. In case of equality, there is a Riemannian submersion $\mathbb{S} \to M$ from a unit sphere, and as a consequence, $f$ is known up to metric congruence. A similar rigidity theorem also holds in the general context of Riemannian foliations.
Let $(M,\mathcal{F})$ be a closed manifold with a Riemannian foliation. The Álvarez class is the cohomology class of degree 1 of $M$ whose triviality characterizes the minimizability of $(M,\mathcal{F})$. We show that the integral of the Álvarez class along every closed path in $M$ is the logarism of an algebraic integer if $π_{1}M$ is polycyclic or $\mathcal{F}$ is of polynomial growth.
This thesis is divided into two parts. In the first part we study completely integrable systems, and their underlying structures, in detail. We study their deformation theory and the different equivalence relations surrounding it. We motivate the definition of weak equivalence (found in the literature) by studying different interpretations of the concept `singular Lagrangian foliation'. Finally, we prove a normal form theorem inspired by the Moser path method. In the second part we study the deformation theory of a PDE with a pseudogroup of symmetries in general. We prove that a solution is ri…
Classification results for complex Riemannian foliations are obtained. For open subsets of irreducible Hermitian symmetric spaces of compact type, where one has explicit control over the curvature tensor, we completely classify such foliations by studying the infinitesimal model associated to the canonical connection. We also establish results for symmetric spaces of non-compact type and a general rigidity result for any irreducible Kähler manifold.
Let $G$ be a simply connected, solvable Lie group and $Γ$ a lattice in $G$. The deformation space $\mathcal{D}(Γ,G)$ is the orbit space associated to the action of $\Aut(G)$ on the space $\mathcal{X}(Γ,G)$ of all lattice embeddings of $Γ$ into $G$. Our main result generalises the classical rigidity theorems of Mal'tsev and Saitô for lattices in nilpotent Lie groups and in solvable Lie groups of real type. We prove that the deformation space of every Zariski-dense lattice $Γ$ in $G$ is finite and Hausdorff, provided that the maximal nilpotent normal subgroup of $G$ is connected. This implies th…
This is Part II of a series on noncompact isometry groups of Lorentz manifolds. We have introduced in Part I, a compactification of these isometry groups, and called ``bi-polarized'' those Lorentz manifolds having a ``trivial '' compactification. Here we show a geometric rigidity of non-bi-polarized Lorentz manifolds; that is, they are (at least locally) warped products of constant curvature Lorentz manifolds by Riemannian manifolds.
In this paper, we consider exponential, connected and simply connected Lie groups which are corresponding to Lie algebras of dimension 7 such that the nilradical of them is 5-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}_{5,2}$ in Table 1. In particular, we give a description of the geometry of the generic orbits in the coadjoint representation of some considered Lie groups. We prove that, for each considered group, the family of the generic coadjoint orbits forms a measurable foliation in the sense of Connes. The topological classification of these foliations is also provided.
We consider an optical hypersurface $Σ$ in the cotangent bundle $τ:T^*M\to M$ of a closed manifold $M$ endowed with a twisted symplectic structure. We show that if the characteristic foliation of $Σ$ is Anosov, then a smooth 1-form $θ$ on $M$ is exact if and only $τ^*θ$ has zero integral over every closed characteristic of $Σ$. This result is derived from a related theorem about magnetic flows which generalizes our work in \cite{DP}. Other rigidity issues are also discussed.
We describe co-adjoint orbits and Casimir functions for two-step free-nilpotent Lie algebras. The symplectic foliation consists of affine subspaces of the Lie coalgebra of different dimensions. Further, we consider left-invariant time-optimal problems on two-step Carnot groups, for which the set of admissible velocities is a strictly convex compactum in the first layer of the Lie algebra containing the origin in its interior. We describe integrals for the vertical subsystem of the Hamiltonian system of Pontryagin maximum principle. Further, we describe constancy and periodicity of solutions to…
We introduce a new geometric structure on differentiable manifolds. A \textit{Contact} \textit{Pair}on a manifold $M$ is a pair $(α,η) $ of Pfaffian forms of constant classes $2k+1$ and $2h+1$ respectively such that $α\wedge dα^{k}\wedgeη\wedge dη^{h}$ is a volume form. Both forms have a characteristic foliation whose leaves are contact manifolds. These foliations are transverse and complementary. Further differential objects are associated to Contact Pairs: two commuting Reeb vector fields, Legendrian curves on $M$ and two Lie brackets on $\mathcal{C}^{\infty}(M) $. We give a local model and …
For a Riemannian submersion from a simple compact Lie group with a bi-invariant metric, we prove the action of its holonomy group on the fibers is transitive. As a step towards classifying Riemannian submersions with totally geodesic fibers, we consider the parameterized surface induced by lifting a base geodesic to points along a geodesic in a fiber. Such a surface is "doubly ruled" (it is ruled by horizontal geodesics and also by vertical geodesics). Its characterizing properties allow us to define "doubly ruled parameterized surfaces" in any Riemannian manifold, independent of Riemannian su…
The basic Dolbeault cohomology groups of a Sasakian manifold M are invariants of its characteristic foliation F (the orbit foliation of the Reeb flow). We show some fundamental properties of this cohomology, which are useful for its computation. In the first part of the article, we show that the basic Hodge numbers, the dimensions of the basic Dolbeault cohomology groups, only depend on the isomorphism class of the underlying CR structure. Equivalently, we show that the basic Hodge numbers are invariant under deformations of type I. This result reduces their computation to the quasi-regular ca…
In the present paper we study the rigidity of 2-step Carnot groups, or equivalently, of graded 2-step nilpotent Lie algebras. We prove the alternative that depending on bi-dimensions of the algebra, the Lie algebra structure makes it either always of infinite type or generically rigid, and we specify the bi-dimensions for each of the choices. Explicit criteria for rigidity of pseudo $H$- and $J$-type algebras are given. In particular, we establish the relation of the so-called $J^2$-condition to rigidity, and we explore these conditions in relation to pseudo $H$-type algebras.
In this paper we study the variability and rigidity of secondary characteristic classes which arise from flat connections on a manifold. Considering the connection as a Lie-algebra valued one-form, we study the characteristic map from Lie algebra cohomology to de Rham cohomology of the manifold, and prove that if the Leibniz cohomology of the Lie algebra vanishes, then all secondary characteristic classes are rigid. In the case of codimension one foliations (with trivial normal bundle), we show that a characteristic map from the Leibniz cohomology of formal vector fields to the de Rham cohomol…
A foliated manifold (M,F) is minimizable if there exists a Riemannian metric g on M such that every leaf of F is a minimal submanifold of (M,g). Alvarez Lopez defined a cohomology class of degree 1 called the Alvarez class of (M,F) whose triviality characterizes the minimizability of (M,F), when M is closed and F is Riemannian. In this paper, we show that the family of the Alvarez classes of a smooth family of Riemannian foliations is continuous with respect to the parameter. Since the Alvarez class has algebraic rigidity under certain topological conditions on (M,F) as the author showed in ar…
Let G be a simple Lie group of real rank one, and S the ideal boundary of the corresponding symmetric space of noncompact type (H^n_R, H^n_C, H^n_H or H^2_O). We show the finiteness of the possible values of the secondary characteristic classes of transversely homogeneous foliations on a fixed manifold whose transverse structures are modeled on the G-action on S, except the case where G=SO(n+1,1) for even n. For this exceptional case, we construct examples of foliations on a manifold which break the finiteness and show a weaker form of the finiteness. These are generalizations of a finiteness …
We study bi-Lagrangian structures (a symplectic form with a pair of complementary Lagrangian foliations, also known as para-Kähler or Künneth structures) on nilmanifolds of dimension less than or equal to 6. In particular, building on previous work of several authors, we determine which 6-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebras admit a bi-Lagrangian structure. In dimension 6, there are (up to isomorphism) 26 nilpotent Lie algebras which admit a symplectic form, 16 of which admit a bi-Lagrangian structure and 10 of which do not. We also calculate the curvature of the canonical connection of these bi…
H. Weyl in 1921 demonstrated that for a connected manifold of dimension greater than $1$, if two Riemannian metrics are conformal and have the same geodesics up to a reparametrization, then one metric is a constant scaling of the other one. In the present paper, we investigate the analogous property for sub-Riemannian metrics. In particular, we prove that the analogous statement, called the Weyl projective rigidity, holds either in real analytic category for all sub-Riemannian metrics on distributions with a specific property of their complex abnormal extremals, called minimal order, or in smo…
We study the relationship between the Lyapunov exponents of the geodesic flow of a closed negatively curved manifold and the geometry of the manifold. We show that if each periodic orbit of the geodesic flow has exactly one Lyapunov exponent on the unstable bundle then the manifold has constant negative curvature. We also show under a curvature pinching condition that equality of all Lyapunov exponents with respect to volume on the unstable bundle also implies that the manifold has constant negative curvature. We then study the degree to which one can emulate these rigidity theorems for the hy…
Motivated by the moduli theory of taut contact circles on spherical 3-manifolds, we relate taut contact circles to transversely holomorphic flows. We give an elementary survey of such 1-dimensional foliations from a topological viewpoint. We describe a complex analogue of the classical Godbillon-Vey invariant, the so-called Bott invariant, and a logarithmic monodromy of closed leaves. The Bott invariant allows us to formulate a generalised Gauß-Bonnet theorem. We compute these invariants for the Poincaré foliations on the 3-sphere and derive rigidity statements, including a uniformisation theo…
This thesis was inspired by work of M. Cowling, F. De Mari, A. Koranyi and M. Reimann, who studied multicontact structures for the homogeneous manifolds G/P, where G is a semisimple Lie group and P is the minimal parabolic subgroup of G. The multicontact structure here arises naturally by the nilpotent component N of the Iwasawa decomposition of G, which is an open and dense subset of G/P. In the thesis two problems are addressed. The first one concerns the representation of simple Lie algebras in terms of polynomial algebras. More precisely, a polynomial basis for split simple Lie algebras is…
