Let $X$ be a compact complex manifold, $L\to X$ an ample line bundle over $X$, and ${\cal H}$ the space of all positively curved metrics on $L$. We show that a pair $(h_0,T)$ consisting of a point $h_0\in {\cal H}$ and a test configuration $T=({\cal L}\to {\cal X}\to {\bf C})$, canonically determines a weak geodesic ray $R(h_0,T)$ in ${\cal H}$ which emanates from $h_0$. Thus a test configuration behaves like a vector field on the space of Kähler potentials ${\cal H}$. We prove that $R$ is non-trivial if the ${\bf C}^\times$ action on $X_0$, the central fiber of $\cal X$, is non-trivial. The ray $R$ is obtained as limit of smooth geodesic rays $R_k\subset{\cal H}_k$, where ${\cal H}_k\subset{\cal H}$ is the subspace of Bergman metrics.
For smooth test configurations, there always exist C^{1,1} geodesic rays in Kahler metric space parallel to the algebraic ray. The $\yen$ invariant agrees with Futaki invariant, at least under nice assumptions. Explicit examples in Toric cases are calculated. On simple test configurations, Donaldson's correspondence between HCMA solution and holomorphic disc family is extended.
It is shown that the geodesic rays constructed as limits of Bergman geodesics from a test configuration are always of class $C^{1,α}, 0<α<1$. An essential step is to establish that the rays can be extended as solutions of a Dirichlet problem for a Monge-Ampere equation on a Kaehler manifold which is compact.
We give new proofs of two implications in the Donaldson--Uhlenbeck--Yau theorem. Our proofs are based on geodesic rays of Hermitian metrics, inspired by recent work on the Yau--Tian--Donaldson conjecture.
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.
Geodesic rays of class C^{1,1} are constructed for any test configuration of a positive line bundle L on X using resolution of singularities. The construction reduces to finding a subsolution of the corresponding Monge-Ampere equation. Geometrically, this is accomplished by the use a positive line bundle on the resolution which is trivial outside of the exceptional divisor.
This article contains a detailed study, in the toric case, of the test configuration geodesic rays defined by Phong-Sturm. We show that the `Bergman approximations' of Phong-Sturm converge in C^1 to the geodesic ray and that the geodesic ray itself is C^{1,1} and no better. The \kahler metrics associated to the geodesic ray of potentials are discontinuous across certain hypersurfaces and are degenerate on certain open sets. A novelty in the analysis is the connection between Bergman metrics, Bergman kernels and the theory of large deviations.
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 prove that any finite energy geodesic ray with a finite Mabuchi slope is maximal in the sense of Berman-Boucksom-Jonsson, and reduce the proof of the uniform Yau-Tian-Donaldson conjecture for constant scalar curvature Kähler metrics to Boucksom-Jonsson's regularization conjecture about the convergence of non-Archimedean entropy functional. As further applications, we show that a uniform K-stability condition for model filtrations and the $\mathcal{J}^{K_X}$-stability are both sufficient conditions for the existence of cscK metrics. The first condition is also conjectured to be necessary. Ou…
We construct examples of compact and one-ended constant mean curvature surfaces with large mean curvature in Riemannian manifolds with axial symmetry by gluing together small spheres positioned end-to-end along a geodesic. Such surfaces cannot exist in Euclidean space, but we show that the gradient of the ambient scalar curvature acts as a `friction term' which permits the usual analytic gluing construction to be carried out.
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.
Suppose (X,ω) is a compact Kähler manifold. In the present work we propose a simple construction for weak geodesic rays in the space of Kähler metrics that seems to be tied together with properties of the class E(X,ω). As an application of our construction, we prove a characterization of E(X,ω) in terms of envelopes.
Suppose $(X,J,ω)$ is a Fano manifold and $t \to r_t$ is a diverging Kähler-Ricci trajectory. We construct a bounded geodesic ray $t \to u_t$ weakly asymptotic to $t \to r_t$, along which Ding's $\mathcal F$-functional decreases, partially confirming a folklore conjecture. In absence of non-trivial holomorphic vector fields this proves the equivalence between geodesic stability of the $\mathcal F$-functional and existence of Kähler-Einstein metrics. We also explore applications of our construction to Tian's $α$-invariant.
For Finsler metrics (no reversibility assumed) on closed orientable surfaces of genus greater than one, we study the dynamics of minimal rays and minimal geodesics in the universal cover. We prove in particular, that for almost all asymptotic directions the minimal rays with these directions laminate the universal cover and that the Busemann functions with these directions are unique up to adding constants. Moreover, using a kind of weak KAM theory, we show that for almost all types of minimal geodesics in the sense of Morse, there is precisely one minimal geodesic of this type.
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…
A pair of points in a riemannian manifold makes a secure configuration if the totality of geodesics connecting them can be blocked by a finite set. The manifold is secure if every configuration is secure. We investigate the security of compact, locally symmetric spaces.
We determine explicit formulas for geodesics (in the Euclidean metric) in the configuration space of ordered pairs (x,x') of points in R^n which satisfy d(x,x')>=epsilon. We interpret this as two or three (depending on the parity of n) geodesic motion-planning rules for this configuration space. In the associated unordered configuration space, we need not prescribe that the points stay apart by epsilon. For this space, with a Euclidean metric, we show that geodesic motion-planning rules correspond to ordinary motion-planning rules on RP^{n-1}.
We study configurations of immersed curves in surfaces and surfaces in 3-manifolds. Among other results, we show that primitive curves have only finitely many configurations which minimize the number of double points. We give examples of minimal configurations not realized by geodesics in any hyperbolic metric.
Let X be a compact complex manifold equipped with a smooth (but not necessarily positive) closed form theta of one-one type. By a well-known envelope construction this data determines a canonical theta-psh function u which is not two times differentiable, in general. We introduce a family of regularizations of u, parametrized by a positive number beta, defined as the smooth solutions of complex Monge-Ampere equations of Aubin-Yau type. It is shown that, as beta tends to infinity, the regularizations converge to the envelope u in the strongest possible Holder sense. A generalization of this res…
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
We show that any grafting ray in Teichmüller space is (strongly) asymptotic to some Teichmüller geodesic ray. As an intermediate step we introduce surfaces that arise as limits of these degenerating Riemann surfaces. Given a grafting ray, the proof involves a Teichmüller ray with a conformally equivalent limit, and building quasiconformal maps of low dilatation between the surfaces along the rays. Our preceding work had proved the result for rays determined by an arational lamination or a multicurve, and the unified approach here gives an alternative proof of the former case.
We show that the co-rays to a ray in a complete non-compact Finsler manifold contain geodesic segments to upper level sets of Busemann functions. Moreover, we characterise the co-point set to a ray as the cut locus of such level sets. The structure theorem of the co-point set on a surface, namely that is a local tree, and other properties follow immediately from the known results about the cut locus. We point out that some of our findings, in special the relation of co-point set to the upper lever sets, are new even for Riemannian manifolds.
We consider any Finsler metric on a closed, orientable surface of genus greater than one. H. M. Morse proved that we can associate an asymptotic direction to minimal rays in the universal cover (in the Poincaré disc: a point on the unit circle). We prove here that, if two minimal rays have a common asymptotic direction, which is not a fixed point of the group of deck transformations, then the two rays can intersect at most in a common initial point. This has strong consequences for the structure of the set of minimal geodesics, as well as for the set of Busemann functions associated to the Fin…
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.
We show that any grafting ray in Teichmüller space determined by an arational lamination or a multi-curve is (strongly) asymptotic to a Teichmüller geodesic ray. As a consequence the projection of a generic grafting ray to moduli space is dense. We also show that the set of points in Teichmüller space obtained by integer (2π-) graftings on any hyperbolic surface projects to a dense set, which implies that complex projective surfaces with any fixed Fuchsian holonomy are dense in moduli space.
Conformally compact asymptotically hyperbolic metrics have been intensively studied. The goal of this note is to understand what intrinsic conditions on a complete Riemannian manifold (M,g) will ensure that g is asymptotically hyperbolic in this sense. We use the geodesic compactification by asymptotic geodesic rays to compactify M and appropriate curvature decay conditions to study the regularity of the conformal compactification. We also present an interesting example that shows our conclusion is nearly optimal for our assumptions.
Let $S$ be a closed, oriented surface with a finite (possibly empty) set of points removed. In this paper we relate two important but disparate topics in the study of the moduli space $\M(S)$ of Riemann surfaces: Teichmüller geometry and the Deligne-Mumford compactification. We reconstruct the Deligne-Mumford compactification (as a metric stratified space) purely from the intrinsic metric geometry of $\M(S)$ endowed with the Teichmüller metric. We do this by first classifying (globally) geodesic rays in $\M(S)$ and determining precisely how pairs of rays asymptote. We construct an "iterated ED…
We consider the Weil--Petersson (WP) metric on the modular surface. We lift WP geodesics to the universal cover of the modular surface and analyse geometric properties of the lifts as paths in the hyperbolic metric on the universal cover. For any pair of distinct points in the thick part of the universal cover, we prove that the WP and hyperbolic geodesic segments that connect the pair, fellow-travel in the thick part and all deviations between these segments arise during cusp excursions. Furthermore, we give a quantitative analysis of the deviation during an excursion. We leverage the fellow …
Let $σ$ be the scattering relation on a compact Riemannian manifold $M$ with non-necessarily convex boundary, that maps initial points of geodesic rays on the boundary and initial directions to the outgoing point on the boundary and the outgoing direction. Let $\ell$ be the length of that geodesic ray. We study the question of whether the metric $g$ is uniquely determined, up to an isometry, by knowledge of $σ$ and $\ell$ restricted on some subset $D$. We allow possible conjugate points but we assume that the conormal bundle of the geodesics issued from $D$ covers $T^*M$; and that those geodes…
We consider a closed three-dimensional contact sub-Riemannian manifold. The objective of this note is to provide a precise description of the sub-Riemannian geodesics with large initial momenta: we prove that they "spiral around the Reeb orbits", not only in the phase space but also in the configuration space. Our analysis is based on a normal form along any Reeb orbit due to Melrose.
Let $X$ be a closed hyperbolic surface and $λ, η$ be weighted geodesic multicurves which are short on X. We show that the iterated grafting along $λ$ and $η$ is close in the Teichmueller metric to grafting along a single multicurve which can be given explicitly in terms of $λ$ and $η$. Using this result, we study the holonomy lifts $gr_λρ_{X,λ}$ of Teichmueller geodesics $ρ_{X,λ}$ for integral laminations $λ$ and show that all of them have bounded Teichmueller distance to the geodesic $ρ_{X,λ}$. We obtain analogous results for grafting rays. Finally we consider the asymptotic behaviour of iter…
In this follow up work to [45, 33, 32, 46] we introduce and study a notion of geodesic stability restricted to rays with prescribed singularity types. A number of notions of interest fit into this framework, in particular algebraic- and transcendental K-polystability, equivariant K-polystability, and the geodesic K-polystability notion introduced by the author in [46]. We provide a partial comparison of the above notions, and show equivalence of some of these notions provided that the underlying manifold satisfies a certain 'weak cscK' condition. As an application this proves K-polystability o…
We consider the broken ray transform on Riemann surfaces in the presence of an obstacle, following earlier work of Mukhometov. If the surface has nonpositive curvature and the obstacle is strictly convex, we show that a function is determined by its integrals over broken geodesic rays that reflect on the boundary of the obstacle. Our proof is based on a Pestov identity with boundary terms, and it involves Jacobi fields on broken rays. We also discuss applications of the broken ray transform.
The Kastor-Traschen metric is a time-dependent solution of the Einstein-Maxwell equations with positive cosmological constant $Λ$ which can be used to describe an arbitrary number of charged dynamical black holes. In this paper, we consider the null geodesic structure of this solution, in particular, focusing on the projection to the space of orbits of the timelike conformal retraction. It is found that these projected light rays arise as integral curves of a system of third order ordinary differential equations. This system is not uniquely defined, however, and we use the inherent freedom to …
We analyze the horizon and geodesic structure of a class of 4D off--diagonal metrics with deformed spherical symmetries, which are exact solutions of the vacuum Einstein equations with anholonomic variables. The maximal analytic extension of the ellipsoid type metrics are constructed and the Penrose diagrams are analyzed with respect to adapted frames. We prove that for small deformations (small eccentricities) there are such metrics that the geodesic behaviour is similar to the Schwarzcshild one. We conclude that some vacuum static and stationary ellipsoid configurations may describe black el…
This PhD thesis studies the broken ray transform, a generalization of the geodesic X-ray transform where geodesics are replaced with broken rays that reflect on a part of the boundary. The fundamental question is whether this transform is injective. We employ four different methods to approach this question, and each of them gives interesting results. Direct calculation can be used in a ball, where the geometry is particularly simple. If the reflecting part of the boundary is (piecewise) flat, a reflection argument can be used to reduce the problem to the usual X-ray transform. In some geometr…
