Given a reductive homogeneous space M=G/H endowed with a naturally reductive metric, we study the one-parameter family of connections joining the canonical and the Levi-Civita connection (t=0, 1/2). We show that the Dirac operator D^t corresponding to t=1/3 is the so-called ``cubic'' Dirac operator recently introduced by B. Kostant, and derive the formula for its square for any t, thus generalizing the classical Parthasarathy formula on symmetric spaces. Applications include the existence of a new G-invariant first order differential operator on spinors and an eigenvalue estimate for the first eigenvalue of D^{1/3}. This geometric situation can be used for constructing Riemannian manifolds which are Ricci flat and admit a parallel spinor with respect to some metric connection whose torsion T is a 3-form, the geometric model for the common sector of string theories. We present some results about solutions to the string equations and give a detailed discussion of some 5-dimensional example.
A new construction of naturally reductive spaces is presented. This construction gives a large amount of new families of naturally reductive spaces. First the infinitesimal models of the new naturally reductive spaces are constructed. A concrete transitive group of isometries is given for the new spaces and also the naturally reductive structure with respect to this group is explicitly given.
A new method for classifying naturally reductive spaces is presented. This method relies on the structure theory of naturally reductive spaces developed in \cite{Storm2018a} and the new construction of naturally reductive spaces in \cite{Storm2018}. We obtain the classification of all naturally reductive spaces in dimension 7 and 8.
The main result of this paper is that every naturally reductive space can be explicitly constructed from the construction in \cite{Storm2018}. This gives us a general formula for any naturally reductive space and from this we prove reducibility and isomorphism criteria.
Let $F$ be a homogeneous $(α_1,α_2)$ metric on the reductive homogeneous manifold $G/H$. Firstly, we characterize the natural reductiveness of $F$ as a local $f$-product between naturally reductive Riemannian metrics. Secondly, we prove the equivalence among several properties of $F$ for its mean Berwald curvature and S-curvature. Finally, we find an explicit flag curvature formula when $F$ is naturally reductive.
A family of naturally reductive pseudo-Riemannian spaces is constructed out of the representations of Lie algebras with ad-invariant metrics. We exhibit peculiar examples, study their geometry and characterize the corresponding naturally reductive homogeneous structure.
Based on the representation theory and the study on the involutions of compact simple Lie groups, we show that $F_4$ admits non-naturally reductive Einstein metrics.
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.
The classification of 4-dimensional naturally reductive pseudo-Riemannian spaces is given. This classification comprises symmetric spaces, the product of 3-dimensional naturally reductive spaces with the real line and new families of indecomposable manifolds which are studied at the end of the article. The oscillator group is also analyzed from the point of view of this classification.
In this article, we prove that every compact simple Lie group $SO(n)$ for $n\geq 10$ admits at least $2\left([\frac{n-1}{3}]-2\right)$ non-naturally reductive left-invariant Einstein metrics.
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 Riemannian nilmanifolds associated with graphs. We prove that such a nilmanifold is geodesic orbit if and only if it is naturally reductive if and only if its defining graph is the disjoint union of complete graphs and the left-invariant metric is generated by a certain naturally defined inner product.
The study of left-invariant Einstein metrics on compact Lie groups which are naturally reductive was initiated by J. E. D'Atri and W. Ziller in 1979. In 1996 the second author obtained non-naturally reductive Einstein metrics on the Lie group SU(n) for $n \ge 6$, by using a method of Riemannian submersions. In the present work we prove existence of non-naturally reductive Einstein metrics on the compact simple Lie groups SO(n) ($n \geq 11$), $Sp(n)$ ($n \geq 3$), $E_6$, $E_7$, and $E_8$.
We determine, for all three-dimensional non-unimodular Lie groups equipped with a Lorentzian metric, the set of homogeneous geodesics through a point. Together with the results of [C] and [CM2], this leads to the full classification of three-dimensional Lorentzian g.o. spaces and naturally reductive spaces.
It is an important problem in differential geometry to find non-naturally reductive homogeneous Einstein metrics on homogeneous manifolds. In this paper, we consider this problem for some coset spaces of compact simple Lie groups. A new method to construct invariant non-naturally reductive Einstein metrics on normal homogeneous Einstein manifolds is presented. In particular, we show that on the standard homogeneous Einstein manifolds, except for some special cases, there exist plenty of such metrics. A further interesting result of this paper is that on some compact semisimple Lie groups, ther…
Naturally reductive spaces, in general, can be seen as an adequate generalization of Riemannian symmetric spaces. Nevertheless, there are some that are closer to symmetric spaces than others. On the one hand, there is the series of Hopf fibrations over complex space forms, including the Heisenberg groups with their metrics of type H. On the other hand, there exist certain naturally reductive spaces in dimensions six and seven whose torsion forms have a distinguished algebraic property. All these spaces generalize geometric or algebraic properties of $3$--dimensional naturally reductive spaces …
Given a compact Lie group $G$ with Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$, we consider its tangent Lie group $TG\cong G\ltimes_{\mathrm{Ad}} \mathfrak{g}$. In this short note, we prove that $TG$ admits a left-invariant naturally reductive Riemannian metric $g$ and a metric connection with skew torsion $\nabla$ such that $(TG,g,\nabla)$ is naturally reductive. An alternative spinorial description of the same connection on the direct product $G\times \mathfrak{g}$ generalizes in a rather subtle way to $TS^7$, which is in many senses almost a tangent Lie group.
Given an exceptional compact simple Lie group $G$ we describe new left-invariant Einstein metrics which are not naturally reductive. In particular, we consider fibrations of $G$ over flag manifolds with a certain kind of isotropy representation and we construct the Einstein equation with respect to the induced left-invariant metrics. Then we apply a technique based on Gröbner bases and classify the real solutions of the associated algebraic systems. For the Lie group ${\rm G}_2$ we obtain the first known example of a left-invariant Einstein metric, which is not naturally reductive. Moreover, f…
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,…
Eldredge, Gordina and Saloff-Coste recently conjectured that, for a given compact connected Lie group $G$, there is a positive real number $C$ such that $λ_1(G,g)\operatorname{diam}(G,g)^2\leq C$ for all left-invariant metrics $g$ on $G$. In this short note, we establish the conjecture for the small subclass of naturally reductive left-invariant metrics on a compact simple Lie group.
We extend the result in J. Reine Angew. Math. 664, 29-53, to the non-compact case. Namely, we prove that the canonical connection on a simply connected and irreducible naturally reductive space is unique, provided the space is not a sphere, a compact Lie group with a bi-invariant metric or its symmetric dual. In particular, the canonical connection is unique for the hyperbolic space when the dimension is different from three. We also prove that the canonical connection on the sphere is unique for the symmetric presentation. Finally, we compute the full isometry group (connected component) of a…
We study the Jacobi osculating rank of geodesics on naturally reductive homogeneous manifolds and we apply this theory to the 3-dimensional case. Here, each non-symmetric, simply connected naturally reductive 3-manifold can be given as a principal bundle over a surface of constant curvature, such that the curvature of its horizontal distribution is also a constant. Then, we prove that the Jacobi osculating rank of every geodesic is two except for the Hopf fibers, where it is zero. Moreover, we determine all isotropic geodesics and the isotropic tangent conjugate locus.
We obtain new invariant Einstein metrics on the compact Lie groups $SO(n)$ ($n \geq 7$) which are not naturally reductive. This is achieved by imposing certain symmetry assumptions in the set of all left-invariant metrics on $SO(n)$ and by computing the Ricci tensor for such metrics. The Einstein metrics are obtained as solutions of systems polynomial equations, which we manipulate by symbolic computations using Gröbner bases.
In this article, we achieved several non-naturally reductive Einstein metrics on exceptional simple Lie groups, which are formed by the decomposition arising from general Wallach spaces. By using the decomposition corresponding to the two involutive automorphisms, we calculated the non-zero coefficients in the expression for the components of Ricci tensor with respect to the given metrics. The Einstein metrics are obtained as solutions of systems polynomial equations, which we manipulate by symbolic computations using Gröbner bases.
We introduce a geometric invariant that we call the index of symmetry, which measures how far is a Riemannian manifold from being a symmetric space. We compute, in a geometric way, the index of symmetry of compact naturally reductive spaces. In this case, the so-called leaf of symmetry turns out to be of the group type. We also study several examples where the leaf of symmetry is not of the group type. Interesting examples arise from the unit tangent bundle of the sphere of curvature 2, and two metrics in an Aloff-Wallach 7-manifold and the Wallach 24-manifold.
We show that within the class of left-invariant naturally reductive metrics $\mathcal{M}_{\operatorname{Nat}}(G)$ on a compact simple Lie group $G$, every metric is spectrally isolated. We also observe that any collection of isospectral compact symmetric spaces is finite; this follows from a somewhat stronger statement involving only a finite part of the spectrum.
This work concerns the non-flat metrics on the Heisenberg Lie group of dimension three $\Heis_3(\RR)$ and the bi-invariant metrics on the solvable Lie groups of dimension four. On $\Heis_3(\RR)$ we prove that the property of the metric being naturally reductive is equivalent to the property of the center being non-degenerate. These metrics are Lorentzian algebraic Ricci solitons. We start with the indecomposable Lie groups of dimension four admitting bi-invariant metrics and which act on $\Heis_3(\RR)$ by isometries and we finally study some geometrical features on these spaces.
In this note, we describe the geometry of the quaternionic Heisenberg groups from a Riemannian viewpoint. We show, in all dimensions, that they carry an almost $3$-contact metric structure which allows us to define the metric connection that equips these groups with the structure of a naturally reductive homogeneous space. It turns out that this connection, which we shall call the canonical connection because of its analogy to the $3$-Sasaki case, preserves the horizontal and vertical distributions and even the quaternionic contact structure of the quaternionic Heisenberg groups. We focus on t…
We prove a Simons-type holonomy theorem for totally skew 1-forms with values in a Lie algebra of linear isometries. The only transitive case, for this theorem, is the full orthogonal group. We only use geometric methods and we do not use any classification (not even that of transitive isometric actions on the sphere or the list of rank one symmetric spaces). This result was independently proved, by using an algebraic approach, by Paul-Andy Nagy. We apply this theorem to prove that the canonical connection of a compact naturally reductive space is unique, provided the space does not split off, …
We present a new method for classifying naturally reductive homogeneous spaces -- i.\,e.~homogeneous Riemannian manifolds admitting a metric connection with skew torsion that has parallel torsion \emph{and} curvature. This method is based on a deeper understanding of the holonomy algebra of connections with parallel skew torsion on Riemannian manifolds and the interplay of such a connection with the geometric structure on the given Riemannian manifold. It allows to reproduce by easier arguments the known classifications in dimensions $3,4$, and $5$, and yields as a new result the classificatio…
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 study invariant metrics on Ledger-Obata spaces $F^m/\mathrm{diag}(F)$. We give the classification and an explicit construction of all naturally reductive metrics, and also show that in the case $m=3$, any invariant metric is naturally reductive. We prove that a Ledger-Obata space is a geodesic orbit space if and only if the metric is naturally reductive. We then show that a Ledger-Obata space is reducible if and only if it is isometric to the product of Ledger-Obata spaces (and give an effective method of recognising reducible metrics), and that the full connected isometry group of an irred…
The paper is devoted to metric connections with parallel skew-symmetric torsion in Lorentzian signature. This is motivated by recent progress in the Riemannian signature and by possible applications to supergravity theories. We provide a complete information about holonomy algebras, torsion and curvature of the considered connections up to the corresponding objects from the Riemannian signature. Various examples are constructed. It is shown how to construct all simply connected Lorentzian naturally reductive homogeneous spaces of arbitrary dimension from Riemannian naturally reductive homogene…
In this paper, first, we give an explicit formula for the flag curvature of a homogeneous Finsler space with generalized $m$-Kropina metric. Then, we show that, under a mild condition, the two definitions of naturally reductive homogeneous Finsler space are equivalent for afore said metric. Finally, we study the flag curvature of naturally reductive homogeneous Finsler spaces with generalized $m$-Kropina metric.
In the paper "Einstein metrics on compact simple Lie groups attached to standard triples", the authors introduced the definition of standard triples and proved that every compact simple Lie group $G$ attached to a standard triple $(G,K,H)$ admits a left-invariant Einstein metric which is not naturally reductive except the standard triple $(\Sp(4),2\Sp(2),4\Sp(1))$. For the triple $(\Sp(4),2\Sp(2),4\Sp(1))$, we find there exists an involution pair of $\sp(4)$ such that $4\sp(1)$ is the fixed point of the pair, and then give the decomposition of $\sp(4)$ as a direct sum of irreducible $\ad(4\sp(…
We study existence of invariant Einstein metrics on complex Stiefel manifolds $G/K = \SU(\ell+m+n)/\SU(n) $ and the special unitary groups $G = \SU(\ell+m+n)$. We decompose the Lie algebra $\frak g$ of $G$ and the tangent space $\frak p$ of $G/K$, by using the generalized flag manifolds $G/H = \SU(\ell+m+n)/\s(\U(\ell)\times\U(m)\times\U(n))$. We parametrize scalar products on the 2-dimensional center of the Lie algebra of $H$, and we consider $G$-invariant and left invariant metrics determined by $\Ad(\s(\U(\ell)\times\U(m)\times\U(n))$-invariant scalar products on $\frak g$ and $\frak p$ res…
We show the existence of nonsymmetric homogeneous spin Riemannian manifolds whose Dirac operator is like that on a Riemannian symmetric spin space. Such manifolds are exactly the homogeneous spin Riemannian manifolds $(M,g)$ which are traceless cyclic with respect to some quotient expression $M=G/K$ and reductive decomposition $\mathfrak{g} = \mathfrak{k} \oplus \mathfrak{m}$. Using transversally symmetric fibrations of noncompact type, we give a list of them.
In this paper we consider invariant Matsumoto metrics which are induced by invariant Riemannian metrics and invariant vector fields on homogeneous spaces then we give the flag curvature formula of them. Also we study the special cases of naturally reductive spaces and bi-invariant metrics. We end the article by giving some examples of geodesically complete Matsumoto spaces.
Any Spin(7)-manifold admits a metric connection \nabla^c with totally skew-symmetric torsion T^c preserving the underlying structure. We classify those with \nabla^c-parallel T^c\neq0 and non-Abelian isotropy algebra iso(T^c)<spin(7). These are isometric to either Riemannian products or homogeneous naturally reductive spaces, each admitting two \nabla^c-parallel spinor fields.
${\mathrm G}_2$-structures with parallel skew-symmetric torsion
Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS（巴黎萨克雷大学，法国国家科学研究中心）；Institute of Mathematics “Simion Stoilow” of the Romanian Academy（罗马尼亚科学院西米恩·斯托伊洛数学研究所）；Universität Stuttgart（斯图加特大学）
Riemannian geodesic orbit spaces (G/H,g) are natural generalizations of symmetric spaces, defined by the property that their geodesics are orbits of one-parameter subgroups of G. We study the geodesic orbit spaces of the form (G/S,g), where G is a compact, connected, semisimple Lie group and S is abelian. We give a simple geometric characterization of those spaces, namely that they are naturally reductive. In turn, this yields the classification of the invariant geodesic orbit (and also the naturally reductive) metrics on any space of the form G/S. Our approach involves simplifying the intrica…
We derive an inequality that relates nodal set and eigenvalues of a class of twisted Dirac operators on closed surfaces and point out how this inequality naturally arises as an eigenvalue estimate for the $\rm Spin^c$ Dirac operator. This allows us to obtain eigenvalue estimates for the twisted Dirac operator appearing in the context of Dirac-harmonic maps and their extensions, from which we also obtain several Liouville type results.
A very important class of homogeneous Riemannian manifolds are the so-called normal homogeneous spaces, which have associated a canonical connection. In this work we obtain geometrically the (connected component of the) group of affine transformations with respect to the canonical connection for a normal homogeneous space. The naturally reductive case is also treated. This completes the geometric calculation of the isometry group of naturally reductive spaces. In addition, we prove that for normal homogeneous spaces the set of fixed points of the full isotropy is a torus. As an application of …
Let G be a compact, semi-simple Lie group and H a maximal rank reductive subgroup. The irreducible representations of G can be constructed as spaces of harmonic spinors with respect to a Dirac operator on the homogeneous space G/H twisted by bundles associated to the irreducible, possibly projective, representations of H. Here, we give a quick proof of this result, computing the index and kernel of this twisted Dirac operator using a homogeneous version of the Weyl character formula noted by Gross, Kostant, Ramond, and Sternberg, as well as recent work of Kostant regarding an algebraic version…
In this paper, we focus on homogeneous spaces which are constructed from two strongly isotropy irreducible spaces, and prove that any geodesic orbit metric on these spaces is naturally reductive.
We prove that any invariant hypercomplex structure on a homogeneous space $M = G/L$ where $G$ is a compact Lie group is obtained via the Joyce's construction, provided that there exists a hyper-Hermitian naturally reductive invariant metric on $M$.
