On the geometry of tangent hyperquadric bundles: CR and pseudoharmonic vector fields

We study the natural almost CR structure on the total space of a subbundle of hyperquadrics of the tangent bundle T(M) over a semi-Riemannian manifold (M, g) and show that if the Reeb vector ξ of an almost contact Riemannian manifold is a CR map then the natural almost CR structure on M is strictly pseudoconvex and a posteriori ξ is pseudohermitian. If in addition ξ is geodesic then it is a harmonic vector field. As an other application, we study pseudoharmonic vector fields on a compact strictly pseudoconvex CR manifold M, i.e. unit (with respect to the Webster metric associated with a fixed contact form on M) vector fields X ε H(M) whose horizontal lift X↑ to the canonical circle bundle S¹ → C(M) → M is a critical point of the Dirichlet energy functional associated to the Fefferman metric (a Lorentz metric on C(M)). We show that the Euler–Lagrange equations satisfied by X^↑ project on a nonlinear system of subelliptic PDEs on M. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000): 53C50, 53C25, 32V20     

Einstein–Weyl structures on contact metric manifolds

In this paper we study Einstein-Weyl structures in the framework of contact metric manifolds. First, we prove that a complete K-contact manifold admitting both the Einstein-Weyl structures W ^± = (g, ±ω) is Sasakian. Next, we show that a compact contact metric manifold admitting an Einstein-Weyl structure is either K-contact or the dual field of ω is orthogonal to the Reeb vector field, provided the Reeb vector field is an eigenvector of the Ricci operator. We also prove that a contact metric manifold admitting both the Einstein-Weyl structures and satisfying is either K-contact or Einstein. Finally, a couple of results on contact metric manifold admitting an Einstein-Weyl structure W = (g, f η) are presented.      

Evolution of Yamabe constant under Ricci flow

In this note under a crucial technical assumption, we derive a formula for the derivative of Yamabe constant , where g(t) is a solution of Ricci flow on closed manifold. We also give a simple application. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000): 53C21 and 53C44     

On the geometry of orthonormal frame bundles II

We study the geometry of orthonormal frame bundles OM over Riemannian manifolds (M, g). The former are equipped with some modifications of the Sasaki-Mok metric depending on one real parameter c ≠ 0. The metrics are “strongly invariant” in some special sense. In particular, we consider the case when (M, g) is a space of constant sectional curvature K. Then, for dim M > 2, we find always, among the metrics , two strongly invariant Einstein metrics on OM which are Riemannian for K > 0 and pseudo-Riemannian for K < 0. At least one of them is not locally symmetric. We also find, for dim M ≥ 2, two invariant metrics with vanishing scalar curvature.      

On totally geodesic foliations with bundle-like metric

Let be a totally geodesic foliation of dimension n and codimension p on a Riemannian manifold (M, g). Suppose that g is a bundle-like metric for and M has at least one point at which none of its mixed sectional curvatures vanishes. Under these conditions we prove that n ≤ p − 1. We show that this inequality is optimal, and none of the above conditions can be removed.     

Extremals for Logarithmic Hardy-Littlewood-Sobelov Inequalities on Compact Manifolds

Let M be a closed, connected surface and let Γ be a conformal class of metrics on M with each metric normalized to have area V. For a metric g Γ, denote the area element by dV and the Laplace–Beltrami operator by Δ _g . We define the Robin mass m(x) at the point x M to be the value of the Green’s function G(x, y) at y = x after the logarithmic singularity has been subtracted off. The regularized trace of Δ _g ⁻¹ is then defined by trace Δ⁻¹ = ∫ _M m dV. (This essentially agrees with the zeta functional regularization and is thus a spectral invariant.) Let be the Laplace–Beltrami operator on the round sphere of volume V. We show that if there exists g Γ with trace Δ _g ⁻¹ < trace then the minimum of trace Δ⁻¹ over Γ is attained by a metric in Γ for which the Robin mass is constant. Otherwise, the minimum of trace Δ⁻¹ over Γ is equal to trace . In fact we prove these results in the general setting where M is an n-dimensional closed, connected manifold and the Laplace–Beltrami operator is replaced by any non-negative elliptic operator A of degree n which is conformally covariant in the sense that for the metric g we have . In this case the role of is assumed by the Paneitz or GJMS operator on the round n-sphere of volume V. Explicitly these results are logarithmic HLS inequalities for (M, g). By duality we obtain analogs of the Onofri–Beckner theorem. Received: February 2006, Accepted: March 2006     

Minoration conforme du spectre du laplacien de Hodge-de Rham

Let M ⁿ be an n-dimensional compact manifold, with n ≥ 3. For any conformal class C of riemannian metrics on M, we set , where μ _p,k (M,g) is the kth eigenvalue of the Hodge laplacian acting on coexact p-forms. We prove that . We also prove that if g is a smooth metric such that , and n = 0,2,3 mod 4, then there is a non-zero corresponding eigenform of degree with constant length. As a corollary, on a four-manifold with non vanishing Euler characteristic, there is no such smooth extremal metric.     

Discretization of Compact Riemannian Manifolds Applied to the Spectrum of Laplacian

For κ ⩾ 0 and r₀ > 0 let ℳ(n, κ, r₀) be the set of all connected, compact n-dimensional Riemannian manifolds (Mⁿ, g) with Ricci (M, g) ⩾ −(n−1) κ g and Inj (M) ⩾ r₀. We study the relation between the kth eigenvalue λ_k(M) of the Laplacian associated to (Mⁿ,g), Δ = −div(grad), and the kth eigenvalue λ_k(X) of a combinatorial Laplacian associated to a discretization X of M. We show that there exist constants c, C > 0 (depending only on n, κ and r₀) such that for all M ∈ ℳ(n, κ, r₀) and X a discretization of for all k < |X|. Then, we obtain the same kind of result for two compact manifolds M and N ∈ ℳ(n, κ, r₀) such that the Gromov–Hausdorff distance between M and N is smaller than some η > 0. We show that there exist constants c, C > 0 depending on η, n, κ and r₀ such that for all . Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 58J50, 53C20 Supported by Swiss National Science Foundation, grant No. 20-101 469     

Canonical variation of a Lorentzian metric

Given a Lorentzian manifold (M,_gL)$(M,g_L)$ and a timelike unitary vector field E  , we can construct the Riemannian metric _gR=_gL+2ω⊗ω$g_R=g_L+2\omega \otimes \omega$, ω being the metrically equivalent one form to E. We relate the curvature of both metrics, especially in the case of E   being Killing or closed, and we use the relations obtained to give some results about (M,_gL)$(M,g_L)$.     

The Problem of Prescribed Critical Functions

Let (M,g) be a compact Riemannian manifold on dimension n ≥ 4 not conformally diffeomorphic to the sphere Sⁿ. We prove that a smooth function f on M is a critical function for a metric g conformal to g if and only if there exists x ∈ M such that f(x) > 0.Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000): 53C21, 46E35, 26D10.     

Raynaud vector bundles

We construct vector bundles on a smooth projective curve X having the property that for all sheaves E of slope μ and rank rk on X we have an equivalence: E is a semistable vector bundle . As a byproduct of our construction we obtain effective bounds on r such that the linear system |R·Θ| has base points on U _X (r, r(g − 1)).      

Contact metric manifolds with <Emphasis Type="Italic">η</Emphasis>-parallel torsion tensor

We show that a non-Sasakian contact metric manifold with η-parallel torsion tensor and sectional curvatures of plane sections containing the Reeb vector field different from 1 at some point, is a (k, μ)-contact manifold. In particular for the standard contact metric structure of the tangent sphere bundle the torsion tensor is η-parallel if and only if M is of constant curvature, in which case its associated pseudo-Hermitian structure is CR- integrable. Next we show that if the metric of a non-Sasakian (k, μ)-contact manifold (M, g) is a gradient Ricci soliton, then (M, g) is locally flat in dimension 3, and locally isometric to E ⁿ⁺¹ × S ⁿ (4) in higher dimensions.      

Sub-Riemannian homogeneous spaces in dimensions 3 and 4

Let (M, , g) be a sub-Riemannian manifold (i.e. M is a smooth manifold, is a smooth distribution on M and g is a smooth metric defined on ) such that the dimension of M is either 3 or 4 and is a contact or odd-contact distribution, respectively. We construct an adapted connection on M and use it to study the equivalence problem. Furthermore, we classify the 3-dimensional sub-Riemannian manifolds which are sub-homogeneous and show the relation to Cartan's list of homogeneous CR manifolds. Finally, we classify the 4-dimensional sub-Riemannian manifolds which are sub-symmetric.     

Gaps in the differential forms spectrum on cyclic coverings

We are interested in the spectrum of the Hodge–de Rham operator on a -covering X over a compact manifold M of dimension n + 1. Let Σ be a hypersurface in M which does not disconnect M and such that M − Σ is a fundamental domain of the covering. If the cohomology group H ^n/2(Σ) is trivial, we can construct for each a metric g = g _N on M, such that the Hodge–de Rham operator on the covering (X, g) has at least N gaps in its (essential) spectrum. If , the same statement holds true for the Hodge–de Rham operators on p-forms provided .     

Volume and Projective Equivalence Between Riemannian Manifolds

Let (M, g) and (M, ) be two Riemannian metrics which are pointwise projectively equivalent, i.e. they have the same geodesics as point sets. We prove that the pointwise projective equivalence is trivial, if (M, g) is a noncompact complete manifold which has at most quadratic volume growth and nonnegative total scalar curvature, and (M, ) has nonpositive Ricci curvature. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000): 53C22, 58J05     

Para-tt*-bundles on the tangent bundle of an almost para-complex manifold

In this paper we study para-tt ^*-bundles (TM, D, S) on the tangent bundle of an almost para-complex manifold (M, τ). We characterise those para-tt ^*-bundles with ${\nabla=D + S}In this paper we study para-tt ^*-bundles (TM, D, S) on the tangent bundle of an almost para-complex manifold (M, τ). We characterise those para-tt ^*-bundles with induced by the one-parameter family of connections given by and prove a uniqueness result for solutions with a para-complex connection D. Flat nearly para-K?hler manifolds and special para-complex manifolds are shown to be such solutions. We analyse which of these solutions admit metric or symplectic para-tt ^*-bundles. Moreover, we give a generalisation of the notion of a para-pluriharmonic map to maps from almost para-complex manifolds (M, τ) into pseudo-Riemannian manifolds and associate to the above metric and symplectic para-tt ^*-bundles generalised para-pluriharmonic maps into , respectively, into SO ₀(n,n)/U ^π(C ⁿ ), where U ^π(C ⁿ ) is the para-complex analogue of the unitary group.      

<Emphasis Type="Italic">r</Emphasis>-Minimal submanifolds in space forms

Let be an n-dimensional compact, possibly with boundary, submanifold in an (n + p)-dimensional space form R ^n+p (c). Assume that r is even and , in this paper we introduce rth mean curvature function S _r and (r + 1)-th mean curvature vector field . We call M to be an r-minimal submanifold if on M, we note that the concept of 0-minimal submanifold is the concept of minimal submanifold. In this paper, we define a functional of , by calculation of the first variational formula of J _r we show that x is a critical point of J _r if and only if x is r-minimal. Besides, we give many examples of r-minimal submanifolds in space forms. We calculate the second variational formula of J _r and prove that there exists no compact without boundary stable r-minimal submanifold with in the unit sphere S ^n+p . When r = 0, noting S ₀ = 1, our result reduces to Simons’ result: there exists no compact without boundary stable minimal submanifold in the unit sphere S ^n+p .      

The Yamabe Problem and Applications on Noncompact Complete Riemannian Manifolds

We let (M,g) be a noncompact complete Riemannian manifold of dimension n 3 whose scalar curvature S(x) is positive for all x in M. With an assumption on the Ricci curvature and scalar curvature at infinity, we study the behavior of solutions of the Yamabe equation on –u+[(n–2)/(4(n–1))]Su=qu ^{(n+2)/(n–2)} on (M,g). This study finds restrictions on the existence of an injective conformal immersion of (M,g) into any compact Riemannian n -manifold. We also show the existence of a complete conformal metric with constant positive scalar curvature on (M,g) with some conditions at infinity.     

Variations at infinity in contact form geometry

Let v be a nonsingular Morse–Smale vector field in the kernel of a contact form α, with Reeb vector field , defined on M³. We establish that the associated variational problem at infinity defined by the action functional on the stratified space of curves made of -pieces of orbits alternating with -pieces of orbits satisfies the Palais–Smale condition. This result takes a more special form for the standard contact structure of S³. Dedicated to Felix Browder on his eightieth birthday     

Pinching estimates for negatively curved manifolds with nilpotent fundamental groups

Let M be a complete Riemannian metric of sectional curvature within [−a²,−1] whose fundamental group contains a k-step nilpotent subgroup of finite index. We prove that a ≥ k answering a question of M. Gromov. Furthermore, we show that for any the manifold M admits a complete Riemannian metric of sectional curvature within Received: May 2004 Revision: July 2004 Accepted: July 2004