Classification of generalized normal homogeneous Riemannian manifolds of positive Euler characteristic

The authors give a short survey of previous results on generalized normal homogeneous (δ-homogeneous, in other terms) Riemannian manifolds, forming a new proper subclass of geodesic orbit spaces with nonnegative sectional curvature, which properly includes the class of all normal homogeneous Riemannian manifolds. As a continuation and an application of these results, they prove that the family of all compact simply connected indecomposable generalized normal homogeneous Riemannian manifolds with positive Euler characteristic, which are not normal homogeneous, consists exactly of all generalized flag manifolds Sp(l)/U(1)⋅Sp(l−1)=CP2l−1, l?2, supplied with invariant Riemannian metrics of positive sectional curvature with the pinching constants (the ratio of the minimal sectional curvature to the maximal one) in the open interval (1/16,1/4). This implies very unusual geometric properties of the adjoint representation of Sp(l), l?2. Some unsolved questions are suggested.     

On weakly harmonic maps from Finsler to Riemannian manifolds

We prove global C0,α$C^{0,\alpha }$-estimates for harmonic maps from Finsler manifolds into regular balls of Riemannian target manifolds generalizing results of Giaquinta, Hildebrandt, and Hildebrandt, Jost and Widman from Riemannian to Finsler domains. As consequences we obtain a Liouville theorem for entire harmonic maps on simple Finsler manifolds, and an existence theorem for harmonic maps from Finsler manifolds into regular balls of a Riemannian target.     

Harmonic symmetrization of convex sets and of Finsler structures,with applications to Hilbert geometry

David Hilbert discovered in 1895 an important metric that is canonically associated to an arbitrary convex domain Ω$\Omega$ in the Euclidean (or projective) space. This metric is known to be Finslerian, and the usual proof of this fact assumes a certain degree of smoothness of the boundary of Ω$\Omega$, and refers to a theorem by Busemann and Mayer that produces the norm of a tangent vector from the distance function. In this paper, we develop a new approach for the study of the Hilbert metric where no differentiability is assumed. The approach exhibits the Hilbert metric on a domain as a symmetrization of a natural weak metric, known as the Funk metric. The Funk metric is described as a tautological   weak Finsler metric, in which the unit ball in each tangent space is naturally identified with the domain Ω$\Omega$ itself. The Hilbert metric is then identified with the reversible tautological weak Finsler structure   on Ω$\Omega$, and the unit ball of the Hilbert metric at each point is described as the harmonic symmetrization of the unit ball of the Funk metric. Properties of the Hilbert metric then follow from general properties of harmonic symmetrizations of weak Finsler structures.     

A rigidity theorem for complete CMC hypersurfaces in Lorentz manifolds

In this paper we use the standard formula for the Laplacian of the squared norm of the second fundamental form and the asymptotic maximum principle of H. Omori and S.T. Yau to classify complete CMC spacelike hypersurfaces of a Lorentz ambient space of nonnegative constant sectional curvature, under appropriate bounds on the scalar curvature.     

Projective equivalence of Finsler and Riemannian surfaces

In this paper we ask when a Finsler surface is projectively equivalent to a given Riemannian surface and when is a Finsler surface projectively equivalent to some Riemannian surface in general. We obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for projective equivalence in both cases. We then consider the latter condition in terms of the Christoffel symbols of the Riemannian metric and investigate when six functions of two variables are the Christoffel symbols of a Riemannian metric. We employ an exterior differential system to analyze when four functions of two variables are the four projective quantities of a Riemannian metric. We end the paper with a theorem which applies the necessary and sufficient condition to 2-dimensional Randers metrics.     

The conformal Killing equation on forms—prolongations and applications

We construct a conformally invariant vector bundle connection such that its equation of parallel transport is a first order system that gives a prolongation of the conformal Killing equation on differential forms. Parallel sections of this connection are related bijectively to solutions of the conformal Killing equation. We construct other conformally invariant connections, also giving prolongations of the conformal Killing equation, that bijectively relate solutions of the conformal Killing equation on k-forms to a twisting of the conformal Killing equation on (k−?)-forms for various integers ?. These tools are used to develop a helicity raising and lowering construction in the general setting and on conformally Einstein manifolds.     

On δ-homogeneous Riemannian manifolds

We study in this paper previously defined by V.N. Berestovskii and C.P. Plaut δ-homogeneous spaces in the case of Riemannian manifolds and prove that they constitute a new proper subclass of geodesic orbit (g.o.) spaces with non-negative sectional curvature, which properly includes the class of all normal homogeneous Riemannian spaces.     

On some hereditary properties of Riemannian g-natural metrics on tangent bundles of Riemannian manifolds

It is well known that if the tangent bundle TM of a Riemannian manifold (M,g) is endowed with the Sasaki metric gs, then the flatness property on TM is inherited by the base manifold [Kowalski, J. Reine Angew. Math. 250 (1971) 124-129]. This motivates us to the general question if the flatness and also other simple geometrical properties remain “hereditary” if we replace gs by the most general Riemannian “g-natural metric” on TM (see [Kowalski and Sekizawa, Bull. Tokyo Gakugei Univ. (4) 40 (1988) 1-29; Abbassi and Sarih, Arch. Math. (Brno), submitted for publication]). In this direction, we prove that if (TM,G) is flat, or locally symmetric, or of constant sectional curvature, or of constant scalar curvature, or an Einstein manifold, respectively, then (M,g) possesses the same property, respectively. We also give explicit examples of g-natural metrics of arbitrary constant scalar curvature on TM.     

Topological structure of complete Riemannian manifolds with cyclic holonomy groups

Let M be a complete m-dimensional Riemannian manifold with cyclic holonomy group, let X be a closed flat manifold homotopy equivalent to M, and let L→X be a nontrivial line bundle over X whose total space is a flat manifold with cyclic holonomy group. We prove that either M is diffeomorphic to X×Rm-dimX or M is diffeomorphic to L×Rm-dimX−1.     

Invariant manifolds for stochastic wave equations

In this paper, we consider a class of stochastic wave equations with nonlinear multiplicative noise. We first show that these stochastic wave equations generate random dynamical systems (or stochastic flows) by transforming the stochastic wave equations to random wave equations through a stationary random homeomorphism. Then, we establish the existence of random invariant manifolds for the random wave equations. Due to the temperedness of the nonlinearity, we obtain only local invariant manifolds no matter how large the spectral gap is unlike the deterministic cases. Based on these random dynamical systems, we prove the existence of random invariant manifolds in a tempered neighborhood of an equilibrium. Finally, we show that the images of these invariant manifolds under the inverse stationary transformation give invariant manifolds for the stochastic wave equations.     

Ground states of a prescribed mean curvature equation

We study the existence of radial ground state solutions for the problem

     

Nonlinear flows and rigidity results on compact manifolds

This paper is devoted to rigidity results for some elliptic PDEs and to optimal constants in related interpolation inequalities of Sobolev type on smooth compact connected Riemannian manifolds without boundaries. Rigidity means that the PDE has no other solution than the constant one at least when a parameter is in a certain range. The largest value of this parameter provides an estimate for the optimal constant in the corresponding interpolation inequality. Our approach relies on a nonlinear flow of porous medium / fast diffusion type which gives a clear-cut interpretation of technical choices of exponents done in earlier works on rigidity. We also establish two integral criteria for rigidity that improve upon known, pointwise conditions, and hold for general manifolds without positivity conditions on the curvature. Using the flow, we are also able to discuss the optimality of the corresponding constants in the interpolation inequalities.     

On the second best constant in logarithmic Sobolev inequalities on complete Riemannian manifolds

We study the second best constant problem for logarithmic Sobolev inequalities on complete Riemannian manifolds and investigate its relationship with optimal heat kernel bounds and the existence of extremal functions.     

Local structure of generalized contact manifolds

Generalized contact pairs were introduced in Poon and Wade (2011) [25]. In this paper, we carry out a detailed study of geometric properties of these structures. First, we give geometric conditions expressing the integrability of a generalized contact pair. Then, we use them to obtain insights into the characteristic foliation of a generalized contact manifold. Finally we show that, locally, any smooth manifold endowed with a generalized contact pair is equivalent to the product of an almost cosymplectic manifold whose associated 2-form is closed by a generalized complex manifold.     

The global geometry of Riemannian manifolds with commuting curvature operators

We give manifolds whose Riemann curvature operators commute, i.e. which satisfy for all tangent vectors x_i in both the Riemannian and the higher signature settings. These manifolds have global geometric phenomena which are quite different for higher signature manifolds than they are for Riemannian manifolds. Our focus is on global properties; questions of geodesic completeness and the behaviour of the exponential map are investigated. Dedicated to the memory of Jean Leray     

Generic linear systems for projective CR manifolds

For compact CR manifolds of hypersurface type which embed in complex projective space, we show that for all k large enough there exist linear systems of O(k) which when restricted to the CR manifold are generic in a suitable sense. These systems are constructed using approximately holomorphic geometry.     

Relative K-stability and modified K-energy on toric manifolds

In this paper, we give a sufficient condition for both the relative K-stability and the properness of modified K-energy associated to Calabi's extremal metrics on toric manifolds. In addition, several examples of toric manifolds which satisfy the sufficient condition are presented.     

On geometric vector fields of Minkowski spaces and their applications

As it is well-known, a Minkowski space is a finite dimensional real vector space equipped with a Minkowski functional F. By the help of its second order partial derivatives we can introduce a Riemannian metric on the vector space and the indicatrix hypersurface S:=F⁻¹(1) can be investigated as a Riemannian submanifold in the usual sense.Our aim is to study affine vector fields on the vector space which are, at the same time, affine with respect to the Funk metric associated with the indicatrix hypersurface. We give an upper bound for the dimension of their (real) Lie algebra and it is proved that equality holds if and only if the Minkowski space is Euclidean. Criteria of the existence is also given in lower dimensional cases. Note that in case of a Euclidean vector space the Funk metric reduces to the standard Cayley-Klein metric perturbed with a nonzero 1-form.As an application of our results we present the general solution of Matsumoto's problem on conformal equivalent Berwald and locally Minkowski manifolds. The reasoning is based on the theory of harmonic vector fields on the tangent spaces as Riemannian manifolds or, in an equivalent way, as Minkowski spaces. Our main result states that the conformal equivalence between two Berwald manifolds must be trivial unless the manifolds are Riemannian.