Conformal deformations of integral pinched 3-manifolds

In this paper we prove that, under an explicit integral pinching assumption between the L²-norm of the Ricci curvature and the L²-norm of the scalar curvature, a closed 3-manifold with positive scalar curvature admits a conformal metric of positive Ricci curvature. In particular, using a result of Hamilton, this implies that the manifold is diffeomorphic to a quotient of S³. The proof of the main result of the paper is based on ideas developed in an article by M. Gursky and J. Viaclovsky.     

On Riemannian 3-manifolds with distinct constant Ricci eigenvalues

The first author was partly supported by the grant GAR 201/93/0469     

Light-like CR hypersurfaces of indefinite Kähler manifolds

We study a new class of real hypersurfaces called Light-like CR hypersurfaces, of indefinite Kahler manifolds, and claim several new results of geometrical/physical significance. In particular, we show that our study has a direct relation with the physically important asymptotically flat spacetimes; which further lead to the Twistor theory of Penrose and the Heaven theory of Newman. As the induced connection, on the degenerate hypersurface, may not be a metric connection, we overcome this difficulty by using differential geometric technique and deduce the embedding conditions called Gauss-Codazzi equations. Finally, we find the integrability conditions for all the possible distributions and specialize the embedding conditions when the ambient space is a complex space form. We add to the list of totally umbilical nondegenerate hypersurfaces [16] the totally umbilical light-like cone, in the degenerate case, and prove the nonexistence of totally umbilical light-like CR hypersurfaces in ¯M(c) withc 0 (see Yano and Kon [22] and Tashiro and Tachibana [20] for the nondegenerate case).     

Almost hypercomplex pseudo-Hermitian manifolds and a 4-dimensional Lie group with such structure

Almost hypercomplex pseudo-Hermitian manifolds are considered. Isotropic hyper-K?hler manifolds are introduced. A 4-parametric family of 4-dimensional manifolds of this type is constructed on a Lie group. This family is characterized geometrically. The condition a 4-manifold to be isotropic hyper-K?hler is given.      

On the Ricci and Einstein equations on the pseudo-euclidean and hyperbolic spaces

We consider tensors T=fg on the pseudo-euclidean space Rn and on the hyperbolic space Hn, where n?3, g is the standard metric and f is a differentiable function. For such tensors, we consider, in both spaces, the problems of existence of a Riemannian metric , conformal to g, such that , and the existence of such a metric which satisfies , where is the scalar curvature of . We find the restrictions on the Ricci candidate for solvability and we construct the solutions when they exist. We show that these metrics are unique up to homothety, we characterize those globally defined and we determine the singularities for those which are not globally defined. None of the non-homothetic metrics , defined on Rn or Hn, are complete. As a consequence of these results, we get positive solutions for the equation , where g is the pseudo-euclidean metric.     

Homogeneous Geodesics of Three-Dimensional Unimodular Lorentzian Lie Groups

We consider three-dimensional unimodular Lie groups equipped with a Lorentzian metric and we determine, for all of them, their sets of homogeneous geodesics through a point. Dedicated to the memory of Professor Aldo Cossu Authors supported by funds of M.U.R.S.T., G.N.S.A.G.A. and the University of Lecce.     

Ricci flat metrics with bidimensional null orbits and non-integrable orthogonal distribution

We study Ricci flat 4-metrics of any signature under the assumption that they allow a Lie algebra of Killing fields with 2-dimensional orbits along which the metric degenerates and whose orthogonal distribution is not integrable. It turns out that locally there is a unique (up to a sign) metric which satisfies the conditions. This metric is of signature (++−−) and, moreover, homogeneous possessing a 6-dimensional symmetry algebra.     

Torsion and homogeneity on contact metric three-manifolds

We show that a three-dimensional contact metric manifold is locally homogeneous if and only if it is ball-homogeneous and satisfies the condition ∇_ξτ=2aτϕ, with a constant. Then, we relate the condition ∇_ξτ=0 with the existence of taut contact circles on a compact three-dimensional contact metric manifold. Entrata in Redazione il 20 gennaio 1999. Supported by funds of the University of Lecce and the M.U.R.S.T. Work made within the program of G.N.S.A.G.A.-C.N.R.     

Special directions on contact metric three-manifolds

Blair [5] has introduced special directions on a contact metric 3-manifolds with negative sectional curvature for plane sections containing the characteristic vector field and, when is Anosov, compared such directions with the Anosov directions. In this paper we introduce the notion of Anosov-like special directions on a contact metric 3-manifold. Such directions exist, on contact metric manifolds with negative -Ricci curvature, if and only if the torsion is -parallel, namely (1.1) is satisfied. If a contact metric 3-manifold M admits Anosov-like special directions, and is -parallel, where is the Berger-Ebin operator, then is Anosov and the universal covering of M is the Lie group (2,R). We note that the notion of Anosov-like special directions is related to that of conformally Anosow flow introduced in [9] and [14] (see [6]).Supported by funds of the M.U.R.S.T. and of the University of Lecce. 1991.     

The Gauss map of submanifolds in the Heisenberg group

We obtain criteria for the harmonicity of the Gauss map of submanifolds in the Heisenberg group and consider the examples demonstrating the connection between the harmonicity of this map and the properties of the mean curvature field. Also, we introduce a natural class of cylindrical submanifolds and prove that a constant mean curvature hypersurface with harmonic Gauss map is cylindrical.     

Stability problems in a theorem of F. Schur

Schur's theorem states that an isotropic Riemannian manifold of dimension greater than two has constant curvature. It is natural to guess that compact almost isotropic Riemannian manifolds of dimension greater than two are close to spaces of almost constant curvature. We take the curvature anisotropy as the discrepancy of the sectional curvatures at a point. The main result of this paper is that Riemannian manifolds in Cheeger's class ℜ(n,d,V,A) withL ₁-small integral anisotropy haveL _p-small change of the sectional curvature over the manifold. We also estimate the deviation of the metric tensor from that of constant curvature in theW _p ² -norm, and prove that compact almost isotropic spaces inherit the differential structure of a space form. These stability results are based on the generalization of Schur' theorem to metric spaces.     

Isotropic ppmc immersions

Isometric immersions with parallel pluri-mean curvature (“ppmc”) in euclidean n-space generalize constant mean curvature (“cmc”) surfaces to higher dimensional Kähler submanifolds. Like cmc surfaces they allow a one-parameter family of isometric deformations rotating the second fundamental form at each point. If these deformations are trivial the ppmc immersions are called isotropic. Our main result drastically restricts the intrinsic geometry of such a submanifold: Locally, it must be a symmetric space or a Riemannian product unless the immersion is holomorphic or a superminimal surface in a sphere. We can give a precise classification if the codimension is less than 7. The main idea of the proof is to show that the tangent holonomy is restricted and to apply the Berger-Simons holonomy theorem.     

Extrinsic homogeneity of parallel submanifolds II

We discuss the question whether a (complete) parallel submanifold M of a Riemannian symmetric space N is an (extrinsically) homogeneous submanifold, i.e. whether there exists a subgroup of the isometries of N which acts transitively on M. In a previous paper, we have discussed this question in case the universal covering space of M is irreducible. It is the subject of this paper to generalize this result to the case when the universal covering space of M has no Euclidian factor.     

Four-dimensional Einstein-like manifolds and curvature homogeneity

The aim of this paper is to classify 4-dimensional Einstein-like manifolds whose Ricci tensor has constant eigenvalues (this being a special kind of curvature homogeneity condition). We give a full classification when the Ricci tensor is of Codazzi type; when the Ricci tensor is cyclic parallel, we classify all such manifolds when not all Ricci curvatures are distinct. In this second case we find a one-parameter family of Riemannian metrics on a Lie groupG as the only possible ones which are irreducible and non-symmetric.     

Classification of five-dimensional generalized pointwise symmetric Riemannian spaces

Riemannian symmetric spaces have the following two classes of spaces as their natural generalizations: (A) the class ofGS-spaces (generalized symmetric Riemannian spaces); (B) the class ofGPS-spaces (generalized pointwise symmetric Riemannian spaces). A result due to O. Kowalski says that the relation between the two classes is (A) (B), the inclusion being strict. In the present paper the author proves that in dimension 5 the class (A) and the class (B) must coincide. Consequently the explicit classification of five-dimensional GPS-spaces is obtained.     

A remark on renormalized volume and Euler characteristic for ache 4-manifolds

This note computes a renormalized volume and a renormalized Gauss-Bonnet-Chern formula for asymptotically complex hyperbolic Einstein (so-called ache) 4-manifolds.     

Globally minimal homogeneous subspaces in compact homogeneous sympletic spaces

It is a general problem to describe and classify the globally minimal surfaces in homogeneous spaces. The present paper studies and answers the following problem: When is a homogeneous subspace whose isometry group is one of the classical groups, a globally minimal submanifold in a regular orbit of the adjoint representation of a classical group?     

Translation surfaces with constant mean curvature in 3-dimensional spaces

We give the classification of the translation surfaces with constant mean curvature or constant Gauss curvature in 3-dimensional Euclidean space E³ and 3-dimensional Minkowski space E ₁ ³ .The author is supported by the EDU. COMM. of CHINA, the NSF of Liaoning and the Northeastern University.Dedicated to Professor Udo Simon on the occation of his sixtieth birthday