Gray & Hervella gave a classification of almost Hermitian structures (g,I) into 16 classes. We systematically study the interaction between these classes when one has an almost hyper-Hermitian structure (g,I,J,K). In general dimension we find at most 167 different almost hyper-Hermitian structures. In particular, we obtain a number of relations that give hyperKäher or locally conformal hyperKähler structures, thus generalising a result of Hitchin. We also study the types of almost quaternion-Hermitian geometries that arise and tabulate the results.
We call a quaternionic Kaehler manifold with non-zero scalar curvature, whose quaternionic structure is trivialized by a hypercomplex structure, a hyper-Hermitian quaternionic Kaehler manifold. We prove that every locally symmetric hyper-Hermitian quaternionic Kaehler manifold is locally isometric to the quaternionic projective space or to the quaternionic hyperbolic space. We describe locally the hyper-Hermitian quaternionic Kaehler manifolds with closed Lee form and show that the only complete simply connected such manifold is the quaternionic hyperbolic space.
We prove that if the fundamental 4-form of an almost-quaternionic Hermitian manifold (M, Q, g) of dimension at least eight satisfies the conformal-Killing equation, then (M, Q, g) is quaternionic-Kahler.
We review the theory of quaternionic Kahler and hyperkahler structures. Then we consider the tangent bundle of a Riemannian manifold M with a metric connection D (with torsion) and with its well estabilished canonical complex structure. With an extra almost Hermitian structure on M it is possible to find a quaternionic Hermitian structure on TM, which is quaternionic Kahler if, and only if, D is flat and torsion free. We also review the symplectic nature of TM. Finally a proper S^3-bundle of complex structures is introduced, expanding to TM the well known twistor bundle of M.
Almost hypercomplex manifolds with Hermitian and Norden metrics and more specially the corresponding quaternionic Kaehler manifolds are considered. Some necessary and sufficient conditions the investigated manifolds be isotropic hyper-Kaehlerian and flat are found. It is proved that the quaternionic Kaehler manifolds with the considered metric structure are Einstein for dimension at least 8. The class of the non-hyper-Kaehler quaternionic Kaehler manifold of the considered type is determined.
Let $(\tilde Q,g) $ be a para-quaternionic Hermitian structure on the real vector space $V$. By referring to the tensorial presentation $(V, \tilde{Q},g) \simeq (H^2 \otimes E^{2n}, \mathfrak{sl}(H),ω^H \otimes ω^E)$, we give an explicit description, from an affine and metric point of view, of main classes of subspaces of $V$ which are invariantly defined with respect to the structure group of $\tilde{Q}$ and $(\tilde{Q},g)$ respectively.
As a generalization of anti-invariant Riemannian submersions and Lagrangian Riemannian submersions, we introduce the notions of h-anti-invariant submersions and h-Lagrangian submersions from almost quaternionic Hermitian manifolds onto Riemannian manifolds. We obtain characterizations and investigate some properties: the integrability of distributions, the geometry of foliations, and the harmonicity of such maps. We also find a condition for such maps to be totally geodesic and give some examples of such maps. Finally, we obtain some types of decomposition theorems.
We introduce the notions of h-conformal slant submersions and almost h-conformal slant submersions from almost quaternionic Hermitian manifolds onto Riemannian manifolds as a generalization of Riemannian submersions, horizontally conformal submersions, slant submersions, h-slant submersions, almost h-slant submersion and conformal slant submersions. We investigate several properties of these including the integrability of distributions, the geometry of foliations and the conditions for such maps to be totally geodesic. Further we give some examples of such maps.
We exploit the Cartan-Kähler theory to prove the local existence of real analytic quaternionic contact structures for any prescribed values of the respective curvature functions and their covariant derivatives at a given point on a manifold. We show that, in a certain sense, the different real analytic quaternionic contact geometries in $4n+3$ dimensions depend, modulo diffeomorphisms, on $2n+2$ real analytic functions of $2n+3$ variables.
As a generalization of Riemannian submersions, horizontally conformal submersions, semi-invariant submersions, h-semi-invariant submersions, almost h-semi-invariant submersions, conformal semi-invariant submersions, we introduce h-conformal semi-invariant submersions and almost h-conformal semi-invariant submersions from almost quaternionic Hermitian manifolds onto Riemannian manifolds. We study their properties: the geometry of foliations, the conditions for total manifolds to be locally product manifolds, the conditions for such maps to be totally geodesic, etc. Finally, we give some example…
New universal invariant operators are introduced in a class of geometries which include the quaternionic structures and their generalisations as well as 4-dimensional conformal (spin) geometries. It is shown that, in a broad sense, all invariants and invariant operators arise from these universal operators and that they may be used to reduce all invariants problems to corresponding algebraic problems involving homomorphisms between modules of certain parabolic subgroups of Lie groups. Explicit application of the operators is illustrated by the construction of all non-standard operators between…
This is a survey on quaternion Hermitian Weyl (locally conformally quaternion Kähler) and hyperhermitian Weyl (locally conformally hyperkähler) manifolds. These geometries appear by requesting the compatibility of some quaternion Hermitian or hyperhermitian structure with a Weyl structure. The motivation for such a study is two-fold: it comes from the constantly growing interest in Weyl (and Einstein-Weyl) geometry and, on the other hand, from the necessity of understanding the existing classes of quaternion Hermitian manifolds.
We determine the invariants characterizing the $Sp(n)$-orbits in the real Grassmannian $Gr^\R(2k,4n)$ of the $2k$-dimensional complex and $Σ$-complex subspaces of a $4n$-dimensional Hermitian quaternionic vector space. A $Σ$-complex subspace is the orthogonal sum of complex subspaces by different, up to sign, compatible complex structure. The result is obtained by considering two main features of such subspaces. The first is that any such subspace admits a decomposition into an Hermitian orthogonal sum of 4-dimensional complex addends plus a 2-dimensional totally complex subspace if $k$ is odd…
On a para-quaternionic Kähler manifold $(\widetilde M^{4n},Q,\widetilde g)$, which is first of all a pseudo-Riemannian manifold, a natural definition of (almost) Kähler and (almost) para-Kähler submanifold $(M^{2m},\mathcal{J},g)$ can be given where $\mathcal{J}=J_1|_M$ is a (para-)complex structure on $M$ which is the restriction of a section $J_1$ of the para-quaternionic bundle $Q$. In this paper, we extend to such a submanifold $M$ most of the results proved by Alekseevsky and Marchiafava, 2001, where Hermitian and Kähler submanifolds of a quaternionic Kähler manifold have been studied. Co…
In this paper we study 3-submersions from a QR-hypersurface of a quaternionic Kaehler manifold onto an almost quaternionic hermitian manifold. We also prove the non-existence of quaternionic submersions between quaternionic Kaehler manifolds which are not locally hyper-Kaehler.
Motivated by the analogies between the projective and the almost quaternionic geometries, we study the generalized planar curves and mappings. We follow, recover, and extend the classical approach as developed by Mikes and Sinyukov. Then we exploit the impact of the general results in the almost quaternionic geometry. In particular we show, that the natural class of H--planar curves coincides with the class of all geodesics of the so called Weyl connections and preserving this class turns out to be the necessary and sufficient condition on diffeomorphisms to become morphisms of almost quaterni…
A manifold (M,I,J,K) is called hypercomplex if I,J,K are complex structures satisfying quaternionic relations. A quaternionic Hermitian metric is called HKT (hyperkaehler with torsion) if $Idω_I = Jd ω_J=Kdω_K$, where $ω_I,ω_J, ω_K$ are Hermitian forms associated with I, J, K. A Hermitian metric $ω$ on a complex manifold is called balanced if $d^*ω=0$. We show that balanced HKT metrics are precisely the quaternionic Calabi-Yau metrics defined in terms of the quaternionic Monge-Ampere equation. In particular, a balanced HKT-metric is unique in its cohomology class, and it always exists if the q…
We give an overview of some recent results in hypersymplectic and para-quaternionic Kahler geometry, and introduce the notion of split three-Sasakian manifold. In particular, we discuss the twistor spaces and Swann bundles of para-quaternionic Kahler manifolds. These are used to classify examples with a fully homogeneous action of a semi-simple Lie group, and to construct distinct para-quaternionic Kahler metrics from indefinite real analytic conformal manifolds. We also indicate how the theory of toric varieties gives rise to constructions of hypersymplectic manifolds.
We investigate an obstruction for hypersymplectic manifolds equipped with a free, isometric action of SU(1,1). When the obstruction vanishes, we show that the manifold is a metric cone over a split 3-Sasakian manifold. Furthermore, if the action of SU(1,1) is also proper, then the hypersymplectic manifold fibres over a para-quaternionic Kahler manifold. We conclude the article with some examples for which the obstruction vanishes. In particular, we show that the moduli space to Nahm-Schmid equations admits a fibration over a para-quaternionic Kahler manifold.
We construct left invariant quaternionic contact (qc) structures on Lie groups with zero and non-zero torsion and with non-vanishing quaternionic contact conformal curvature tensor, thus showing the existence of non-flat quaternionic contact manifolds. We prove that the product of the real line with a seven dimensional manifold, equipped with a certain qc structure, has a quaternionic Kaehler metric as well as a metric with holonomy contained in Spin(7). As a consequence we determine explicit quaternionic Kaehler metrics and Spin(7)-holonomy metrics which seem to be new. Moreover, we give expl…
We report on some aspects and recent progress in certain problems in the sub-Riemannian CR and quaternionic contact (QC) geometries. The focus are the corresponding Yamabe problems on the round spheres, the Lichnerowicz-Obata first eigenvalue estimates, and the relation between these two problems. A motivation from the Riemannian case highlights new and old ideas which are then developed in the settings of Iwasawa sub-Riemannian geometries.
Contact path geometries are curved geometric structures on a contact manifold comprising smooth families of paths modeled on the family of all isotropic lines in the projectivization of a symplectic vector space. Locally such a structure is equivalent to the graphs in the space of independent and depedent variables of the family of solutions of a system of an odd number of second order ODE's subject to a single maximally non-integrable constraint. A subclass of contact path geometries is distinguished by the vanishing of an invariant contact torsion. For this subclass the equivalence problem i…
We provide a local classification of self-dual Einstein Riemannian four manifolds admitting a positively oriented Hermitian structure and characterize those which carry a hyperhermitian, non-hyperkählerian structure compatible with the negative orientation. We finally show that self-dual Einstein 4-manifolds obtained as quaternionic quotients of the Wolf spaces ${\mathbb H}P^2$, ${\mathbb H}H^2$, $SU(4)/S(U(2)U(2))$, and $SU(2,2)/S(U(2)U(2))$ are always Hermitian.
A set of canonical parahermitian connections on an almost paraHermitian manifold is defined. ParaHermitian version of the Apostolov-Gauduchon generalization of the Goldberg-Sachs theorem in General Relativity is given. It is proved that the Nijenhuis tensor of a Nearly paraKähler manifolds is parallel with respect to the canonical connection. Salamon's twistor construction on quaternionic manifold is adapted to the paraquaternionic case. A hyper-paracomplex structure is constructed on Kodaira-Thurston (properly elliptic) surfaces as well as on the Inoe surfaces modeled on $Sol^4_1$. A locally …
We show that infinitesimal automorphisms and infinitesimal deformations of parabolic geometries can be nicely described in terms of the twisted de-Rham sequence associated to a certain linear connection on the adjoint tractor bundle. For regular normal geometries, this description can be related to the underlying geometric structure using the machinery of BGG sequences. In the locally flat case, this leads to a deformation complex, which generalizes the is well know complex for locally conformally flat manifolds. Recently, a theory of subcomplexes in BGG sequences has been developed. This appl…
Methods of parabolic geometries have been recently used to construct a class of elliptic complexes on quaternionic manifolds, the Salamon's complex being the simplest case. The purpose of this paper is to describe an algorithm how to compute their analytical indices in terms of characteristic classes. Using this, we are able to derive some topological obstructions to existence of quaternionic structures on manifolds.
The Riemannian symmetric space SU_{2,m}/S(U_2U_m) is both Hermitian symmetric and quaternionic Kahler symmetric. Let M be a hypersurface in SU_{2,m}/S(U_2U_m) and denote by TM its tangent bundle. The complex structure of SU_{2,m}/S(U_2U_m) determines a maximal complex subbundle C of TM, and the quaternionic structure of SU_{2,m}/S(U_2U_m) determines a maximal quaternionic subbundle Q of TM. In this article we investigate hypersurfaces in SU_{2,m}/S(U_2U_m) for which C and Q are closely related to the shape of M.
This paper demonstrates the power of the calculus developed in the two previous parts of the series for all real forms of the almost Hermitian symmetric structures on smooth manifolds, including e.g. conformal Riemannian and almost quaternionic geometries. Exploiting some finite dimensional representation theory of simple Lie algebras, we give explicit formulae for distinguished invariant curved analogues of the standard operators in terms of the linear connections belonging to the structures in question, so in particular we prove their existence. Moreover, we prove that these formulae for k-t…
We apply the theory of Weyl structures for parabolic geometries developed by A. Cap and J. Slovak in to compute, for a quaternionic contact (qc) structure, the Weyl connection associated to a choice of scale, i.e. to a choice of Carnot-Carathéodory metric in the conformal class. The result of this computation has applications to the study of the conformal Fefferman space of a qc manifold. In addition to this application, we are also able to easily compute a tensorial formula for the qc analog of the Weyl curvature tensor in conformal geometry and the Chern-Moser tensor in CR geometry. This ten…
We generalise the hyper-Kahler/quaternionic Kahler (HK/QK) correspondence to include para-geometries, and present a new concise proof that the target manifold of the HK/QK correspondence is quaternionic Kahler. As an application, we construct one-parameter deformations of the temporal and Euclidean supergravity c-map metrics and show that they are para-quaternionic Kahler.
BGG-sequences offer a uniform construction for invariant differential operators for a large class of geometric structures called parabolic geometries. For locally flat geometries, the resulting sequences are complexes, but in general the compositions of the operators in such a sequence are nonzero. In this paper, we show that under appropriate torsion freeness and/or semi-flatness assumptions certain parts of all BGG sequences are complexes. Several examples of structures, including quaternionic structures, hypersurface type CR structures and quaternionic contact structures are discussed in de…
This paper is devoted to a coordinate-free approach to several classic geometries such as hyperbolic (real, complex, quaternionic), elliptic (spherical, Fubini-Study), and lorentzian (de Sitter, anti de Sitter) ones. These geometries carry a certain simple structure that is in some sense stronger than the riemannian structure. Their basic geometrical objects have linear nature and provide natural compactifications of classic spaces. The usual riemannian concepts are easily derivable from the strong structure and thus gain their coordinate-free form. Many examples illustrate fruitful features o…
We define $(p,q)$ hermitian geometry as the target space geometry of the two dimensional $(p,q)$ supersymmetric sigma model. This includes generalised Kähler geometry for $(2,2)$, generalised hyperkähler geometry for $(4,2)$, strong Kähler with torsion geometry for $(2,1)$ and strong hyperkähler with torsion geometry for $(4,1)$. We provide a generalised complex geometry formulation of hermitian geometry, generalising Gualtieri's formulation of the $(2,2)$ case. Our formulation involves a chiral version of generalised complex structure and we provide explicit formulae for the map to generalise…
We study vector fields generating a local flow by automorphisms of a parabolic geometry with higher order fixed points. We develop general tools extending the techniques of [1], [2], and [3]. We apply these tools to almost Grassmannian, almost quaternionic, and contact parabolic geometries, including CR structures, to obtain descriptions of the possible dynamics of such flows near the fixed point and strong restrictions on the curvature. In some cases, we can show vanishing of the curvature on a nonempty open set. Deriving consequences for a specific geometry entails evaluating purely algebrai…
A twist construction for manifolds with torus action is described generalising certain T-duality examples and constructions in hypercomplex geometry. It is applied to complex, SKT, hypercomplex and HKT manifolds to construct compact simply-connected examples. In particular, we find hypercomplex manifolds that admit no compatible HKT metric, and HKT manifolds whose Obata connection has holonomy contained in $SL(n,\mathbb H)$.
We construct explicit left invariant quaternionic contact structures on Lie groups with zero and non-zero torsion, and with non-vanishing quaternionic contact conformal curvature tensor, thus showing the existence of quaternionic contact manifolds not locally quaternionic contact conformal to the quaternionic sphere. We present a left invariant quaternionic contact structure on a seven dimensional non-nilpotent Lie group, and show that this structure is locally quaternionic contact conformal to the flat quaternionic contact structure on the quaternionic Heisenberg group. On the product of a se…
We explicitly describe all SO(7)-invariant almost quaternion-Hermitian structures on the twistor space of the six sphere and determine the types of their intrinsic torsion.
The characteristic connection of an almost hermitian structure is a hermitian connection with totally skew-symmetric torsion. The case of parallel torsion in dimension six is of particular interest. In this work, we give a full classification of the algebraic types of the torsion form, and, based on this, undertake a systematic investigation into the possible geometries. Numerous naturally reductive spaces are constructed and classified as well as examples on nilmanifolds given.
The target space of a (4,0) supersymmetric two-dimensional sigma model with Wess-Zumino term has a connection with totally skew-symmetric torsion and holonomy contained in Sp(n)Sp(1) (resp. Sp(n)), QKT (resp. HKT)-spaces. We study the geometry of QKT, HKT manifold and their twistor spaces. We show that the Swann bundle of a QKT manifold admits a HKT structure with special symmetry if and only if the twistor space of the QKT manifold admits an almost hermitian structure with totally skew-symmetric Nijenhuis tensor, thus connecting two structures arising from quantum field theories and supersymm…
A hypercomplex structure on a differentiable manifold consists of three integrable almost complex structures that satisfy quaternionic relations. If, in addition, there exists a metric on the manifold which is Hermitian with respect to the three structures, and such that the corresponding Hermitian forms are closed, the manifold is said to be hyperkaehler. In the paper "Non-Hermitian Yang-Mills connections", Kaledin and Verbitsky proved that the twistor space of a hyperkaehler manifold admits a balanced metric; these were first studied in the article "On the existence of special metrics in com…
We show that $3$-Sasaki structures admit a natural description in terms of projective differential geometry. This description provides a concrete link between $3$-Sasaki structures and several other geometries and constructions via a single unifying picture. First we establish that a $3$-Sasaki structure may be understood as a projective structure equipped with a certain holonomy reduction to the (possibly indefinite) unitary quaternionic group $\textrm{Sp}(p,q)$, namely a parallel hyperkähler structure on the projective tractor bundle satisfying a particular genericity condition. For the conv…
A discussion of torsion of Riemannian G-structures leads to a survey of contributions of Alfred Gray and others on almost Hermitian manifolds, G_2-manifolds, curvature identities, volume expansions, plotting geodesics, and the geometry of nilmanifolds. The paper concludes with a new example of a compact 8-manifold with a quaternionic 4-form that is closed but not parallel.
We study the intrinsic torsion of almost quaternion-Hermitian manifolds via the exterior algebra. In particular, we show how it is determined by particular three-forms formed from simple combinations of the exterior derivatives of the local Kaehler forms. This gives a practical method to compute the intrinsic torsion and is applied in a number of examples. In addition we find simple characterisations of HKT and QKT geometries entirely in the exterior algebra and compute how the intrinsic torsion changes under a twist construction.
Some selected applications of KT and HKT geometries in string theory, supergravity, black hole moduli spaces and hermitian geometry are reviewed. It is shown that the moduli spaces of a large class of five-dimensional supersymmetric black holes are HKT spaces. In hermitian geometry, it is shown that a compact, conformally balanced, strong KT manifold whose associated KT connection has holonomy contained in SU(n) is Calabi-Yau. The implication of this result in the context of some string compactifications is explained.
This note is about the interplay between the almost-hermitian and Riemannian geometries of a manifold. These geometries can be seen to interact through curvature. The main result is an obstruction equation to the integrability of almost-complex structures orthogonal with respect to Riemannian metrics with constrained sectional curvature. Several geometric consequences ensue, such as a formula for the norm of the Levi-Civita covariant derivative of a hypothetical orthogonal complex structure. Our results lead to a partial recovery of the well-known fact that the round $6$-sphere $S^6$ is not he…
We introduce T-duality invariant versions of D-branes in doubled geometry using a global covariant framework based on para-Hermitian geometry and metric algebroids. We define D-branes as conformal boundary conditions for the open string version of the Born sigma-model, where they are given by maximally isotropic vector bundles which do not generally admit the standard geometric picture in terms of submanifolds. When reduced to the conventional sigma-model description of a physical string background as the leaf space of a foliated para-Hermitian manifold, integrable branes yield D-branes as lea…
A hypercomplex manifold $M$ is a manifold equipped with three complex structures satisfying quaternionic relations. Such a manifold admits a canonical torsion-free connection preserving the quaternion action, called Obata connection. A quaternionic Hermitian metric is a Riemannian metric on which is invariant with respect to unitary quaternions. Such a metric is called HKT if it is locally obtained as a Hessian of a function averaged with quaternions. HKT metric is a natural analogue of a Kahler metric on a complex manifold. We push this analogy further, proving a quaternionic analogue of Buch…
We prove that compact quaternionic-Kähler manifolds of positive scalar curvature admit no almost complex structure, even in the weak sense, except for the complex Grassmannians $Gr_2(C^{n+2})$. We also prove that irreducible inner symmetric spaces $M^{4n}$ of compact type are not weakly complex, except for spheres and Hermitian symmetric spaces.
We define symmetric spaces in arbitrary dimension and over arbitrary non-discrete topological fields $\K$, and we construct manifolds and symmetric spaces associated to topological continuous quasi-inverse Jordan pairs and -triple systems. This class of spaces, called smooth generalized projective geometries, generalizes the well-known (finite or infinite-dimensional) bounded symmetric domains as well as their ``compact-like'' duals. An interpretation of such geometries as models of Quantum Mechanics is proposed, and particular attention is paid to geometries that might be considered as "stand…
The investigation of strings and M-theory involves the understanding of various BPS solitons which in a certain approximation can be thought of as solutions of ten- and eleven-dimensional supergravity theories. These solitons have a brane or a intersecting brane interpretation, saturate a bound and are associated with parallel spinors with respect to a connection of the spin bundle of spacetime. A class of intersecting brane configurations is examined and it is shown that the geometry of spacetime is hyper-Kähler with torsion. A relation between these hyper-Kähler geometries with torsion and q…
