We classify all Kahler metrics in an open subset of $C^2$ whose real geodesics are circles. All such metrics are equivalent (via complex projective transformations) to Fubini metrics (i.e. to Fubini-Study metric on $CP^2$ restricted to an affine chart, to the complex hyperbolic metric in the unit ball model or to the Euclidean metric).
In this paper we explore the connection between special degenerations of algebraic manifolds and geodesics in the space of Kahler metrics. We provide a new and general geometric construction of nontrivial solutions for the geodesic equation. We show how to associate to any special nontrivial degeneration a geodesic of inifite length.
Motivated by the results of B. Berndtsson, in this memoir we use the new estimates developed by W. He to extend a theorem of the second author on the existence of weak $C^{1,1}$ geodesics between two smooth non-degenerate Kähler potentials to the case where the metrics on the end points may have singularities on some analytic set and may be positive semi-definite.
In this paper, we first prove a folklore conjecture on a greatest lower bound of the Calabi energy in all Kähler manifold. Similar result in algebriac setting was obtained by S. K. Donaldson. Secondly, we give an upper/lower bound estimate of the K energy in terms of the geodesic distance and the Calabi energy. This is used to prove a theorem on convergence of Kähler metrics in holomorphic coordinates, with uniform bound on the Ricci curvature and the diameter. Thirdly, we set up a framework for the existence of geodesic rays when an asymptotic direction is given. I
Given a compact Kähler manifold (X,ω_0), according to Mabuchi, the set of Kähler forms cohomologous to ω_0 has the natural structure of an infinite dimensional Riemannian manifold. We address the question whether points in this space can be joined by a geodesic, and strengthening previous findings of the second author with Vivas, we show that this cannot always be done even with a certain type of generalized geodesics.
This paper constructs a class of complete Kähler metrics of positive holomorphic sectional curvature on ${\bf C}^n$ and finds that the constructed metrics satisfy the following properties: As the geodesic distance $ρ\to\infty,$ the volume of geodesic balls grows like $O(ρ^{\frac{2(β+1)n}{β+2}})$ and the Riemannian scalar curvature decays like $O(ρ^{-\frac{2(β+1)}{β+2}}),$ where $β\geq 0.$
Let (X,ω) be a compact Kähler manifold. As discovered in the late 1980s by Mabuchi, the set H_0 of Kähler forms cohomologous to ωhas the natural structure of an infinite dimensional Riemannian manifold. We address the question whether any two points in H_0 can be connected by a smooth geodesic, and show that the answer, in general, is "no".
We give some remarks on geodesics in the space of Kähler metrics that are defined for all time. Such curves are conjecturally induced by holomorphic vector fields, and we show that this is indeed so for regular geodesics, whereas the question for generalized geodesics is still open (as far as we know). We also give a result about the derivative of such geodesics which implies a variant of a theorem of Atiyah and Guillemin-Sternberg on convexity of the image of certain moment maps.
It's well-known in \kahler geometry that the infinite dimensional symmetric space $\hcal$ of smooth \kahler metrics in a fixed \kahler class on a polarized \kahler manifold is well approximated by finite dimensional submanifolds $\bcal_k \subset \hcal$ of Bergman metrics of height $k$. Then it's natural to ask whether geodesics in $\hcal$ can be approximated by Bergman geodesics in $\bcal_k$. For any polarized \kahler manifold, the approximation is in the $C^0$ topology. While Song-Zelditch proved the $C^2$ convergence for the torus-invariant metrics over toric varieties. In this article, we s…
We study $n$-dimensional Kähler manifolds whose geodesic flows possess $n$ first integrals in involution that are fibrewise hermitian forms and simultaneously normalizable. Under some mild assumption, one can associate with such a manifold an $n$-dimensional commutative Lie algebra of infinitesimal automorphisms. This, combined with the given $n$ first integrals, makes the geodesic flow integrable. If the manifold is compact, then it becomes a toric variety.
We prove that any two Kahler potentials on a compact Kahler manifold can be connected by a geodesic segment of C^{1,1} regularity. This follows from an a priori interior real Hessian bound for solutions of the nondegenerate complex Monge-Ampere equation, which is independent of a positive lower bound for the right hand side.
Geodesics on the infinite dimensional symmetric space $\hcal$ of Kähler metrics in a fixed Kähler class on a projective Kähler manifold X are solutions of a homogeneous complex Monge-Ampère equation in $X \times A$, where $A \subset \C$ is an annulus. They are analogues of 1PS (one-parameter subgroups) on symmetric spaces $G_{\C}/G$. Donaldson, Arezzo-Tian and Phong-Sturm raised the question whether Monge-Ampère geodesics can be approximated by 1PS geodesics in the symmetric spaces of Bergman metrics. Phong-Sturm proved weak C^0 convergence of Bergman to Monge-Ampère geodesics on a general \ka…
We show the optimal $C^{1,1}$ regularity of geodesics in nef and big cohomology class on Kähler manifolds away from the non-Kähler locus, assuming sufficiently regular initial data. As a special case, we prove the $C^{1,1}$ regularity of geodesics of Kähler metrics on compact Kähler varieties away from the singular locus. Our main novelty is an improved boundary estimate for the complex Monge-Ampère equation that does not require strict positivity of the reference form near the boundary. We also discuss the case of some special geodesic rays.
This is a continuation of the previous articles on Kahler cone metrics. In this article, we introduce weighted function spaces and provide a self-contained treatment on cone angles in the whole interval $(0,1]$. We first construct geodesics in the space of Kahler cone metrics (cone geodesics). We next determine the very detailed asymptotic behaviour of constant scalar curvature Kahler (cscK) cone metrics, which leads to the reductivity of the automorphism group. Then we establish the linear theory for the Lichnerowicz operator, which immediately implies the openness of the path deforming the c…
In the case of a compact real analytic symplectic manifold M we describe an approach to the complexification of Hamiltonian flows [Se, Do1, Th1] and corresponding geodesics on the space of Kahler metrics. In this approach, motivated by recent work on quantization, the complexified Hamiltonian flows act, through the Grobner theory of Lie series, on the sheaf of complex valued real analytic functions, changing the sheaves of holomorphic functions. This defines an action on the space of (equivalent) complex structures on M and also a direct action on M. This description is related to the approach…
In this paper, we study the Dirichlet problem of the geodesic equation in the space of Kähler cone metrics $\mathcal H_\b$; that is equivalent to a homogeneous complex Monge-Ampère equation whose boundary values consist of Kähler metrics with cone singularities. Our approach concerns the generalization of the space defined in Donaldson \cite{MR2975584} to the case of Kähler manifolds with boundary; moreover we introduce a subspace $\mathcal H_C$ of $\mathcal H_\b$ which we define by prescribing appropriate geometric conditions. Our main result is the existence, uniqueness and regularity of $C^…
An ansatz of Calabi allows construction of Kahler metrics in an Hermitian disk bundle over a Kahler manifold. We attempt to give a definitive treatment of this ansatz, with the following results: We give curvature conditions on the disk bundle that guarantee existence of families of complete Kahler metrics of constant scalar curvature, including some Einstein-Kahler metrics. These curvature conditions are somewhat weaker than those used by prior authors, and are shown to give rise to large families of metrics that seem to be new. Further, these curvature hypotheses are necessary, in the sense …
In real space forms, Fraser and Schoen proved that a free-boundary minimal disk in a geodesic ball is totally geodesic. In this note, we consider free-boundary minimal surfaces $Σ$ (of any genus) in geodesic balls of complex space forms. In $\mathbb{CP}^2$, $\mathbb{C}^2$ and $\mathbb{CH}^2$, we show that if $Σ$ is Lagrangian, then $Σ$ is totally geodesic. In $\mathbb{CP}^n$, $\mathbb{C}^n$ and $\mathbb{CH}^n$ for $n \geq 2$, we show that if $Σ$ has Kähler angle $π/2$, then $Σ$ is superminimal.
Given a compact Kähler manifold $(X,ω_0)$ let $\mathcal H_{0}$ be the set of Kähler forms cohomologous to $ω_0$. As observed by Mabuchi \cite{m}, this space has the structure of an infinite dimensional Riemannian manifold, if one identifies it with a totally geodesic subspace of $\mathcal H$, the set of Kähler potentials of $ω_0$. Following Donaldson's research program, existence and regularity of geodesics in this space is of fundamental interest. In this paper, supposing enough regularity of a geodesic $u:[0,1]\to \mathcal H$, connecting $u_0 \in \mathcal H$ with $u_1 \in \mathcal H$, we est…
We consider the geodesic equation for the generalized Kahler potential with only mixed second derivatives bounded. We show that given such two generalized Kahler potentials, there is a unique geodesic segment such that for each point on the geodesic, the generalized Kahler potential has uniformly bounded mixed second derivatives (in manifold directions). This generalizes a fundamental theorem of Chen \cite{Chen00} on the space of Kahler potentials.
Obstruction flatness of a strongly pseudoconvex hypersurface $Σ$ in a complex manifold refers to the property that any (local) Kähler-Einstein metric on the pseudoconvex side of $Σ$, complete up to $Σ$, has a potential $-\log u$ such that $u$ is $C^\infty$-smooth up to $Σ$. In general, $u$ has only a finite degree of smoothness up to $Σ$. In this paper, we study obstruction flatness of hypersurfaces $Σ$ that arise as unit circle bundles $S(L)$ of negative Hermitian line bundles $(L, h)$ over Kähler manifolds $(M, g).$ We prove that if $(M,g)$ has constant Ricci eigenvalues, then $S(L)$ is obst…
We prove that constant scalar curvature Kähler metric "adjacent" to a fixed Kähler class is unique up to isomorphism. This extends the uniqueness theorem of Donaldson and Chen-Tian, and formally fits into the infinite dimensional G.I.T picture described by Donaldson. We prove that the Calabi flow near a cscK metric exists globally and converges uniformly to a cscK metric in a polynomial rate. Viewed in a Kähler class, the Calabi flow is also shown to be asymptotic to a smooth geodesic ray at infinity. This latter fact is also interesting in the finite dimensional analogue, where we show that t…
We investigate under which assumptions an orientable pseudo-Riemannian geodesic foliations by circles is generated by an $S^1$-action. We construct examples showing that, contrary to the Riemannian case, it is not always true. However, we prove that such an action always exists when the foliation does not contain lightlike leaves, i.e. a pseudo-Riemannian Wadsley's Theorem. As an application, we show that every Lorentzian surface all of whose spacelike/timelike geodesics are closed, is finitely covered by $S^1\times \R$. It follows that every Lorentzian surface contains a non-closed geodesic.
We associate certain probability measures on $\R$ to geodesics in the space $\H_L$ of positively curved metrics on a line bundle $L$, and to geodesics in the finite dimensional symmetric space of hermitian norms on $H^0(X, kL)$. We prove that the measures associated to the finite dimensional spaces converge weakly to the measures related to geodesics in $\H_L$ as $k$ goes to infinity. The convergence of second order moments implies a recent result of Chen and Sun on geodesic distances in the respective spaces, while the convergence of first order moments gives convergence of Donaldson's $Z$-fu…
We prove a $C^{1,1}$ estimate for solutions of complex Monge-Ampère equations on compact Kähler manifolds with possibly nonempty boundary, in a degenerate cohomology class. This strengthens previous estimates of Phong-Sturm. As applications we deduce the local $C^{1,1}$ regularity of geodesic rays in the space of Kähler metrics associated to a test configuration, as well as the local $C^{1,1}$ regularity of quasi-psh envelopes in nef and big classes away from the non-Kähler locus.
We determine all Finsler metrics of Randers type for which the Riemannian part is a scalar multiple of the Euclidean metric, on an open subset of the Euclidean plane, whose geodesics are circles. We show that the Riemannian part must be of constant Gaussian curvature, and that for every such Riemannian metric there is a class of Randers metrics satisfying the condition, determined up to the addition of a total derivative, depending on a single parameter. As one of several applications we exhibit a Finsler metric whose geodesics are the oriented horocycles in the Poincare disk, in each of the t…
We consider canonical metrics on Fano manifolds. First we introduce a norm-type functional on Fano manifolds, which has Kahler-Einstein or Kahler-Ricci soliton as its critical point and the Kahler-Ricci flow can be viewed as its (reduced) gradient flow. We then obtain a natural lower bound of this functional. As an application, we prove that Kahler-Ricci soliton, if exists, maximizes Perelman's $μ$-functional without extra assumptions. Second we consider a conjecture proposed by S.K. Donaldson in terms of $\cK$-energy. Our simple observation is that $\cF$-functional, as $\cK$-energy, also inte…
Many important equations of mathematical physics arise geometrically as geodesic equations on Lie groups. In this paper, we study an example of a geodesic equation, the two-component Hunter-Saxton (2HS) system, that displays a number of unique geometric features. We show that 2HS describes the geodesic flow on a manifold which is isometric to a subset of a sphere. Since the geodesics on a sphere are simply the great circles, this immediately yields explicit formulas for the solutions of 2HS. We also show that when restricted to functions of zero mean, 2HS reduces to the geodesic equation on an…
We construct all Finsler metrics on the two-sphere for which geodesics are circles and show that any (reversible) path geometry on a two-dimensional manifold is locally the system of geodesics of a Finsler metric.
We survey the theory of Kähler-Einstein metrics, with particular focus on the circle of ideas surrounding the Yau-Tian-Donaldson conjecture for Fano manifolds.
We prove the convergence of geodesic distance during the quantization of the space of Kähler potentials. As applications, this provides alternative proofs of certain inequalities about the K-energy functional in the projective case.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a new proof of Bando-Mabuchi's uniqueness theorem of Kähler Einstein metrics on Fano manifolds, based on Chen's weak C^{1,1} geodesic without using any further regularities. Unlike the smooth case, the lack of regularities on the geodesic forbids us to use spectral formula of the weighed Laplacian operator directly. However, we can use smooth geodesics to approximate the weak one, then prove that a sequence of eigenfunctions will converge into the first eigenspace of the weighted Laplacian operator.
There are many known examples of scalar-flat Kähler ALE surfaces, all of which have group at infinity either cyclic or contained in ${\rm{SU}}(2)$. The main result in this paper shows that for any non-cyclic finite subgroup $Γ\subset {\rm{U}}(2)$ containing no complex reflections, there exist scalar-flat Kähler ALE metrics on the minimal resolution of $\mathbb{C}^2 / Γ$, for which $Γ$ occurs as the group at infinity. Furthermore, we show that these metrics admit a holomorphic isometric circle action. It is also shown that there exist scalar-flat Kähler ALE metrics with respect to some small de…
This note treats the notion of Lagrange derivative for the third order mechanics in the context of covariant Riemannian geometry. The variational differential equation for geodesic circles in two dimensions is obtained. The influence of the curvature tensor on the Lagrange derivative leads to the emergence of the notion of quasiclassical spin in the pseudo-Riemannian case.
Self dual symmetric R-spaces have special curves, called circles, introduced by Burstall, Donaldson, Pedit and Pinkall in 2011, whose definition does not involve the choice of any Riemannian metric. We characterize the elements of the big transformation group G of a self dual symmetric R-space M as those diffeomorphisms of M sending circles in circles. Besides, although these curves belong to the realm of the invariants by G, we manage to describe them in Riemannian geometric terms: Given a circle c in M, there is a maximal compact subgroup K of G such that c, except for a projective reparamet…
Let (M,J) be an almost complex manifold. We show that the infinite-dimensional space Tau of totally real submanifolds in M carries a natural connection. This induces a canonical notion of geodesics in Tau and a corresponding definition of when a functional, defined on Tau, is convex. Geodesics in Tau can be expressed in terms of families of J-holomorphic curves in M; we prove a uniqueness result and study their existence. When M is Kähler we define a canonical functional on Tau; it is convex if M has non-positive Ricci curvature. Our construction is formally analogous to the notion of geodesic…
In this paper we study surfaces foliated by a uniparametric family of circles in the homogeneous space Sol$_3$. We prove that there do not exist such surfaces with zero mean curvature or with zero Gaussian curvature. We extend this study considering surfaces foliated by geodesics, equidistant lines or horocycles in totally geodesic planes and we classify all such surfaces under the assumption of minimality or flatness.
We establish the essentially optimal form of Donaldson's geodesic stability conjecture regarding existence of constant scalar curvature Kähler metrics. We carry this out by exploring in detail the metric geometry of Mabuchi geodesic rays, and the uniform convexity properties of the space of Kähler metrics.
In this paper, we investigate the deformation of generalized circle packings on ideally triangulated surfaces with boundary, which is the $(-1,-1,-1)$ type generalized circle packing metric introduced by Guo-Luo \cite{GL2}. To find hyperbolic metrics on surfaces with totally geodesic boundaries of prescribed lengths, we introduce combinatorial Ricci flow and combinatorial Calabi flow for generalized circle packings on ideally triangulated surfaces with boundary. Then we prove the longtime existence and global convergence for the solutions of these combinatorial curvature flows, which provide e…
We study the one-parameter family of twisted Kahler Taub-NUT metrics (discovered by Donaldson), along with two exceptional Taub-NUT-like instantons, and understand them to the extend that should be sufficient for blow-up and gluing arguments. In particular we parametrize their geodesics from the origin, determine curvature fall-off rates, volume growth rates for metric balls, and find blow-down limits.
We construct a Kähler structure (${\mathbb{J}},Ω,{\mathbb{G}}$) on the space ${\mathbb{L}}({\mathbb{H}}^3)$ of oriented geodesics of hyperbolic 3-space ${\mathbb{H}}^3$ and investigate its properties. We prove that (${\mathbb{L}}({\mathbb{H}}^3),{\mathbb{J}})$ is biholomorphic to ${\mathbb{P}}^1\times{\mathbb{P}}^1-\barΔ$, where $\barΔ$ is the reflected diagonal, and that the Kähler metric ${\mathbb{G}}$ is of neutral signature, conformally flat and scalar flat. We establish that the identity component of the isometry group of the metric ${\mathbb{G}}$ on ${\mathbb{L}}({\mathbb{H}}^3)$ is isom…
With inspiration from the Kähler geometry, we introduce a metric structure on the energy class, $\mathcal{E}_{1,m}$, of $m$-subharmonic functions with bounded energy and show that it is complete. After studying how the metric convergence relates to the accepted convergences in this Caffarelli-Nirenberg-Spruck model, we end by constructing geodesics in a subspace of our complete metric space.
The space $SL(2,\mathbb{R})\times SL(2,\mathbb{R})$ admits a natural homogeneous pseudo-Riemannian nearly Kaehler structure. We investigate almost complex surfaces in this space. In particular we obtain a complete classification of the totally geodesic almost complex surfaces and of the almost complex surfaces with parallel second fundamental form.
Suppose $(X,ω)$ is a compact Kähler manifold. Following Mabuchi, the space of smooth Kähler potentials $\mathcal H$ can be endowed with a Riemannian structure, which induces an infinite dimensional path length metric space $(\mathcal H,d)$. We prove that the metric completion of $(\mathcal H,d)$ can be identified with $(\mathcal E^2(X,ω),\tilde d)$, and this latter space is a complete non-positively curved geodesic metric space. In obtaining this result, we will rely on envelope techniques which allow for a treatment in a very general context. Profiting from this, we will characterize the pair…
A knot space in a manifold M is a space of oriented immersions from a circle S^1 to M up to Diff(S^1). Brylinski has shown that a knot space of a Riemannian threefold is formally Kahler. We prove that a space of knots in a holonomy G2 manifold is formally Kahler.