Minimal sets of Cartan foliations

A foliation that admits a Cartan geometry as its transversal structure is called a Cartan foliation. We prove that on a manifold M with a complete Cartan foliation ?, there exists one more foliation (M, \(\mathcal{O}\)), which is generally singular and is called an aureole foliation; moreover, the foliations ? and \(\mathcal{O}\) have common minimal sets. By using an aureole foliation, we prove that for complete Cartan foliations of the type ?/? with a compactly embedded Lie subalgebra ? in ?, the closure of each leaf forms a minimal set such that the restriction of the foliation onto this set is a transversally locally homogeneous Riemannian foliation. We describe the structure of complete transversally similar foliations (M, ?). We prove that for such foliations, there exists a unique minimal set ?, and ? is contained in the closure of any leaf. If the foliation (M, ?) is proper, then ? is a unique closed leaf of this foliation.     

Slow foliation of a slow–fast stochastic evolutionary system

This work is concerned with the dynamics of a slow–fast stochastic evolutionary system quantified with a scale parameter. An invariant foliation decomposes the state space into geometric regions of different dynamical regimes, and thus helps understand dynamics. A slow invariant foliation is established for this system. It is shown that the slow foliation converges to a critical foliation (i.e., the scale parameter is zero) in probability distribution, as the scale parameter tends to zero. The approximation of slow foliation is also constructed with error estimate in distribution. Furthermore, the geometric structure of the slow foliation is investigated: every fiber of the slow foliation parallels each other, with the slow manifold as a special fiber. In fact, when an arbitrarily chosen point of a fiber falls in the slow manifold, the fiber must be the slow manifold itself.     

Invariant algebraic curves and rational first integrals of holomorphic foliations in ℂ<Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>(2)

In this paper, using the tools of algebraic geometry we provide sufficient conditions for a holomorphic foliation in ℂP(2) to have a rational first integral. Moreover, we obtain an upper bound of the degrees of invariant algebraic curves of a holomorphic foliation in ℂP(2). Then we use these results to prove that any holomorphic foliation of degree 2 does not have cubic limit cycles.     

Foliations of some 3-manifolds which fiber over the circle

We show that a hyperbolic punctured torus bundle admits a foliation by lines which is covered by a product foliation. Thus its fundamental group acts freely on the plane.

     

Basic forms for transversely integrable singular Riemannian foliations

Basic forms for a transversely integrable singular Riemannian foliation with compact leaves are in one-to-one correspondence with ``Weyl"-invariant differential forms on a generalized section of the foliation.

     

Index Theory and Non-Commutative Geometry I. Higher Families Index Theory

We prove an index theorem for foliated manifolds. We do so by constructing a push forward map in cohomology for a k-oriented map from an arbitrary manifold to the space of leaves of an oriented foliation, and by constructing a Chern–Connes character from the k-theory of the compactly supported smooth functions on the holonomy groupoid of the foliation to the Haefliger cohomology of the foliation. Combining these with the Connes–Skandalis topological index map and the classical Chern character gives a commutative diagram from which the index theorem follows immediately.     

The automorphism groups of foliations with transverse linear connection

The category of foliations is considered. In this category morphisms are differentiable maps sending leaves of one foliation into leaves of the other foliation. We prove that the automorphism group of a foliation with transverse linear connection is an infinite-dimensional Lie group modeled on LF-spaces. This result extends the corresponding result of Macias-Virgós and Sanmartín Carbón for Riemannian foliations. In particular, our result is valid for Lorentzian and pseudo-Riemannian foliations.     

The Yang–Mills flow near the boundary of Teichmüller space

We study the behavior of the Yang-Mills flow for unitary connections on compact and non-compact oriented surfaces with varying metrics. The flow can be used to define a one dimensional foliation on the space of representations of a once punctured surface. This foliation universalizes over Teichmüller space and is equivariant with respect to the action of the mapping class group. It is shown how to extend the foliation as a singular foliation over the augmented boundary of Teichmüller space obtained by adding nodal Riemann surfaces. Continuity of this extension is the main result of the paper. Received May 18, 1998 / Revised August 30, 1999 / Published online July 20, 2000     

CMC Foliations of Closed Manifolds

We prove that every closed, smooth \(n\)-manifold \(X\) admits a Riemannian metric together with a constant mean curvature (CMC) foliation if and only if its Euler characteristic is zero, where by a CMC foliation we mean a smooth, codimension-one, transversely oriented foliation with leaves of CMC and where the value of the CMC can vary from leaf to leaf. Furthermore, we prove that this CMC foliation of \(X\) can be chosen so that when \(n\ge 2\), the constant values of the mean curvatures of its leaves change sign. We also prove a general structure theorem for any such non-minimal CMC foliation of \(X\) that describes relationships between the geometry and topology of the leaves, including the property that there exist compact leaves for every attained value of the mean curvature.     

On tori without conjugate points

Summary In this paper we consider Riemannian metrics without conjugate points on an n-torus. Recent work of J. Heber established that the gradient vector fields of Busemann functions on the universal cover of such a manifold induce a natural foliation (akin to the weak stable foliation for a Riemannian manifold with negative sectional curvature) on the unit tangent bundle. The main result in the paper is that the metric is flat if this foliation is Lipschitz. We also prove that this foliation is Lipschitz if and only if the metric has bounded asymptotes. This confirms a conjecture of E. Hopf in this case.Oblatum 22-IX-1993 & 25-IV-1994Supported in part by NSF grant #DMS90-01707 and #DMS85-05550 while at MSRISupported by an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship