We clarify the global geometry of two 1-parameter families of cohomogeneity one Spin(7) holonomy metrics with generic orbit the Aloff--Wallach space $N(1,-1) \cong \mathrm{SU}(3)/\mathrm{U}(1)$ and singular orbits $S^5$ and $\mathbb{C}P^2$, which at short distance were shown to exist by Reidegeld. The two families fit into the geography of previously known families of cohomogeneity one metrics with exceptional holonomy and provide a Spin(7) analogue of the well-known conifold transition in the setting of Calabi--Yau 3-folds. Furthermore, we discover that there is another transition to families of Spin(7) holonomy metrics which have a similar asymptotic behaviour on one end, but are singular on the other end. We obtain our results by relating the Spin(7)-equations to a simple dynamical system on a 3-dimensional cube.
The problem of classification of connected holonomy groups (equivalently of holonomy algebras) for pseudo-Riemannian manifolds is open. The classification of Riemannian holonomy algebras is a classical result. The classification of Lorentzian holonomy algebras was obtained recently. In the present paper weakly-irreducible not irreducible subalgebras of $\su(1,n+1)$ ($n\geq 0$) are classified. Weakly-irreducible not irreducible holonomy algebras of pseudo-Kählerian and special pseudo-Kählerian manifolds are classified. An example of metric for each possible holonomy algebra is given. This gives…
We prove that given a pseudo-Riemannian conformal structure whose conformal holonomy representation fixes a totally lightlike subspace of arbitrary dimension, there is, wrt. a local metric in the conformal class defined off a singular set, a parallel, totally lightlike distribution on the tangent bundle which contains the image of the Ricci-tensor. This generalizes results obtained for invariant lightlike lines and planes and closes a gap in the understanding of the geometric meaning of reducibly acting conformal holonomy groups. We show how this result naturally applies to the classification …
We introduce a notion of twisted pure spinor in order to characterize, in a unified way, all the special Riemannian holonomy groups just as a classical pure spinor characterizes the special Kähler holonomy. Motivated by certain curvature identities satisfied by manifolds admitting parallel twisted pure spinors, we also introduce the Clifford monopole equations as a natural geometric generalization of the Seiberg-Witten equations. We show that they restrict to the Seiberg-Witten equations in 4 dimensions, and that they admit non-trivial solutions on manifolds with special Riemannian holonomy.
This is a survey paper. We explain the known constructions for two geometrically different classes of examples of compact Riemannian 7-manifolds with holonomy G2. One method uses resolutions of singularities of appropriately chosen 7-dimensional orbifolds, with the help of asymptotically locally Euclidean spaces. Another method uses the gluing of two asymptotically cylindrical pieces and requires a certain matching condition for their cross-sections `at infinity'.
In this paper we investigate the properties of the real and complex projective structures associated to Hitchin and quasi-Hitchin representations that were originally constructed using Guichard-Wienhard's theory of domains of discontinuity. We determine the topology of the underlying manifolds and we prove that some of these geometric structures are fibered in a special standard way. In order to prove these results, we give two new ways to construct these geometric structures: we construct them using gauge theory, flat bundles and Higgs bundles, and we also give a new geometric way to construc…
A locally metric connection on a smooth manifold $M$ is a torsion-free connection $D$ on $TM$ with compact restricted holonomy group $\mathrm{Hol}_0(D)$. If the holonomy representation of such a connection is irreducible, then $D$ preserves a conformal structure on $M$. Under some natural geometric assumption on the life-time of incomplete geodesics, we prove that conversely, a locally metric connection $D$ preserving a conformal structure on a compact manifold $M$ has irreducible holonomy representation, unless $\mathrm{Hol}_0(D)=0$ or $D$ is the Levi-Civita connection of a Riemannian metric …
Hermitian bundle gerbes with connection are geometric objects for which a notion of surface holonomy can be defined for closed oriented surfaces. We systematically introduce bundle gerbes by closing the pre-stack of trivial bundle gerbes under descent. Inspired by structures arising in a representation theoretic approach to rational conformal field theories, we introduce geometric structure that is appropriate to define surface holonomy in more general situations: Jandl gerbes for unoriented surfaces, D-branes for surfaces with boundaries, and bi-branes for surfaces with defect lines.
IAs is well known, when D6 branes wrap a special lagrangian cycle on a non compact CY 3-fold in such a way that the internal string frame metric is Kahler there exists a dual description, which is given in terms of a purely geometrical eleven dimensional background with an internal metric of $G_2$ holonomy. It is also known that when D6 branes wrap a coassociative cycle of a non compact $G_2$ manifold in presence of a self-dual two form strength the internal part of the string frame metric is conformal to the $G_2$ metric and there exists a dual description, which is expressed in terms of a pu…
The holonomy Lie $\infty$-groupoid of a singular foliation I
Department of Mathematics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign（伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校数学系）；Institut Élie Cartan de Lorraine, UMR 7502, Université de Lorraine（洛林埃利嘉当研究所）
We study the uniqueness of minimal submanifolds and the stability of the mean curvature flow in several well-known model spaces of manifolds of special holonomy. These include the Stenzel metric on the cotangent bundle of spheres, the Calabi metric on the cotangent bundle of complex projective spaces, and the Bryant--Salamon metrics on vector bundles over certain Einstein manifolds. In particular, we show that the zero sections, as calibrated submanifolds with respect to their respective ambient metrics, are unique among compact minimal submanifolds and are dynamically stable under the mean cu…
Holonomy groups and holonomy algebras for connections on locally free sheaves over supermanifolds are introduced. A one-to-one correspondence between parallel sections and holonomy-invariant vectors, and a one-to-one correspondence between parallel locally direct subsheaves and holonomy-invariant vector supersubspaces are obtained. As the special case, the holonomy of linear connections on supermanifolds is studied. Examples of parallel geometric structures on supermanifolds and the corresponding holonomies are given. For Riemannian supermanifolds an analog of the Wu theorem is proved. Berger …
We give a survey of results relating the restricted holonomy of a Riemannian spin manifold with lower bounds on the spectrum of its Dirac operator, giving a new proof of a result originally due to Kirchberg.
We study mirror symmetry of type II strings on manifolds with the exceptional holonomy groups $G_2$ and Spin(7). Our central result is a construction of mirrors of Spin(7) manifolds realized as generalized connected sums. In parallel to twisted connected sum $G_2$ manifolds, mirrors of such Spin(7) manifolds can be found by applying mirror symmetry to the pair of non-compact manifolds they are glued from. To provide non-trivial checks for such geometric mirror constructions, we give a CFT analysis of mirror maps for Joyce orbifolds in several new instances for both the Spin(7) and the $G_2$ ca…
We show how certain diffeomorphism-invariant functionals on differential forms in dimensions 6,7 and 8 generate in a natural way special geometrical structures in these dimensions: metrics of holonomy G2 and Spin(7), metrics with weak holonomy SU(3) and G2, and a new and unexplored example in dimension 8. The general formalism becomes a practical tool for calculating homogeneous or cohomogeneity one examples, and we illustrate this with some newly discovered cases of Spin(7) and G2 metrics.
While the Lorenzian and Riemanian metrics for which all polynomial scalar curvature invariants vanish (the VSI property) are well-studied, less is known about the four-dimensional neutral signature metrics with the VSI property. Recently it was shown that the neutral signature metrics belong to two distinct subclasses: the Walker and Kundt metrics. In this paper we have chosen an example from each of the two subcases of the Ricci-flat VSI Walker metrics respectively. To investigate the difference between the metrics we determine the existence of a null, geodesic, expansion-free, shear-free and…
M-theory on compact eight-manifolds with $\mathrm{Spin}(7)$-holonomy is a framework for geometric engineering of 3d $\mathcal{N}=1$ gauge theories coupled to gravity. We propose a new construction of such $\mathrm{Spin}(7)$-manifolds, based on a generalized connected sum, where the building blocks are a Calabi-Yau four-fold and a $G_2$-holonomy manifold times a circle, respectively, which both asymptote to a Calabi-Yau three-fold times a cylinder. The generalized connected sum construction is first exemplified for Joyce orbifolds, and is then used to construct examples of new compact manifolds…
Following Losik's approach to Gelfand's formal geometry, certain characteristic classes for codimension-one foliations coming from the Gelfand-Fuchs cohomology are considered. Sufficient conditions for non-triviality in terms of dynamical properties of generators of the holonomy groups are found. The non-triviality for the Reeb foliations is shown; this is in contrast with some classical theorems on the Godbillon-Vey class, e.g, the Mizutani-Morita-Tsuboi Theorem about triviality of the Godbillon-Vey class of foliations almost without holonomy is not true for the classes under consideration. I…
It was conjectured, twenty years ago, the following result that would generalize the so-called rank rigidity theorem for homogeneous Euclidean submanifolds: let M^n, n>=2, be a full and irreducible homogeneous submanifold of the sphere $S^{N-1}\subset R^N$ and such that the normal holonomy group is not transitive (on the unit sphere of the normal space to the sphere). Then M^n must be an orbit of an irreducible s-representation (i.e. the isotropy representation of a semisimple Riemannian symmetric space). If n=2, then the normal holonomy is always transitive, unless M is a homogeneous isoparam…
