K(a)hler Manifolds with Almost Non-negative Ricci Curvature

Compact K(a)hler manifolds with semi-positive Ricci curvature have been investigated by various authors. From Peternell's work, if M is a compact K(a)hler n-manifold with semi-positive Ricci curvature and finite fundamental group, then the universal cover has a decomposition (M) ≌ X1 × … × Xm, where Xj is a Calabi-Yau manifold, or a hyperK(a)hler manifold, or Xj satisfies Ho(Xj,Ωp) = 0. The purpose of this paper is to generalize this theorem to almost non-negative Ricci curvature K(a)hler manifolds by using the Gromov-Hausdorff convergence. Let M be a compact complex n-manifold with non-vanishing Euler number. If for any ε ＞ 0, there exists a K(a)hler structure (Je,ge) on M such that the volume Volge(M) ＜ V, the sectional curvature |K(gε)| ＜ Λ2, and the Ricci-tensor Ric(gε)＞ -εgε, where ∨ and Λ are two constants independent of ε. Then the fundamental group of M is finite, and M is diffeomorphic to a complex manifold X such that the universal covering of X has a decomposition, (X) ≌ X1 × … × Xs, where Xi is a Calabi-Yau manifold, or a hyperK(a)hler manifold, or Xi satisfies Ho(Xi, Ωp) = {0}, p ＞ 0.     

Lipschitz-volume rigidity on limit spaces with Ricci curvature bounded from below

We prove a Lipschitz-Volume rigidity theorem for the non-collapsed Gromov–Hausdorff limits of manifolds with Ricci curvature bounded from below. This is a counterpart of the Lipschitz-Volume rigidity in Alexandrov geometry.     

Ricci curvature of Markov chains on metric spaces

We define the coarse Ricci curvature of metric spaces in terms of how much small balls are closer (in Wasserstein transportation distance) than their centers are. This definition naturally extends to any Markov chain on a metric space. For a Riemannian manifold this gives back, after scaling, the value of Ricci curvature of a tangent vector. Examples of positively curved spaces for this definition include the discrete cube and discrete versions of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Moreover this generalization is consistent with the Bakry-Émery Ricci curvature for Brownian motion with a drift on a Riemannian manifold.Positive Ricci curvature is shown to imply a spectral gap, a Lévy-Gromov-like Gaussian concentration theorem and a kind of modified logarithmic Sobolev inequality. The bounds obtained are sharp in a variety of examples.     

On the Ricci curvature of steady gradient Ricci solitons

Assume (Mn,g) is a complete steady gradient Ricci soliton with positive Ricci curvature. If the scalar curvature approaches 0 towards infinity, we prove that , where O is the point where R obtains its maximum and γ(s) is a minimal normal geodesic emanating from O. Some other results on the Ricci curvature are also obtained.     

Ricci flow on a 3-manifold with positive scalar curvature

In this paper we consider Hamilton's Ricci flow on a 3-manifold with a metric of positive scalar curvature. We establish several a priori estimates for the Ricci flow which we believe are important in understanding possible singularities of the Ricci flow. For Ricci flow with initial metric of positive scalar curvature, we obtain a sharp estimate on the norm of the Ricci curvature in terms of the scalar curvature (which is not trivial even if the initial metric has non-negative Ricci curvature, a fact which is essential in Hamilton's estimates [R.S. Hamilton, Three-manifolds with positive Ricci curvature, J. Differential Geom. 17 (1982) 255-306]), some L²-estimates for the gradients of the Ricci curvature, and finally the Harnack type estimates for the Ricci curvature. These results are established through careful (and rather complicated and lengthy) computations, integration by parts and the maximum principles for parabolic equations.     

The limit spaces of two-dimensional manifolds with uniformly bounded integral curvature

We study the class of closed -dimensional Riemannian manifolds with uniformly bounded diameter and total absolute curvature. Our first theorem states that this class of manifolds is precompact with respect to the Gromov-Hausdorff distance. Our goal in this paper is to completely characterize the topological structure of all the limit spaces of the class of manifolds, which are, in general, not topological manifolds and even may not be locally -connected. We also study the limit of -manifolds with -curvature bound for .

     

Conformal vector fields on complete Finsler spaces of constant Ricci curvature

In this work, it is proved that if a complete Finsler manifold of positive constant Ricci curvature admits a solution to a certain ODE, then it is homeomorphic to the n-sphere. Next, a geometric meaning is obtained for solutions of this ODE, which is applicable to Einstein–Randers spaces. Moreover, some results on Finsler spaces admitting a special conformal vector field are obtained.     

The regular points of simple functions

We extend the work of Ioffe and Lewis [A. Ioffe and A. Lewis, Critical points of simple functions, Optimization, 57 (2008), pp. 3–16] and relate it to the previous work of Morse [M. Morse, Topologically non-degenerate functions in a compact n-manifold, J. Anal. Math. 7 (1959), p. 243]. We show that the concept of regularity for piecewise linear functions can be explained in geometric topological terms and this explanation leads to a unified view of several concepts of regularity for such functions.     

A Criterion of Nonparabolicity by the Ricci Curvature

A complete manifold is said to be nonparabolic if it does admit a positive Green’s function. To ?nd a sharp geometric criterion for the parabolicity/nonparbolicity is an attractive question inside the function theory on Riemannian manifolds. This paper devotes to proving a criterion for nonparabolicity of a complete manifold weakened by the Ricci curvature. For this purpose, we shall apply the new Laplacian comparison theorem established by the ?rst author to show the existence of a non-constant bounded subharmonic function.     

Volume entropy based on integral Ricci curvature and volume ratio

For a compact Riemannian manifold M, we obtain an explicit upper bound of the volume entropy with an integral of Ricci curvature on M and a volume ratio between two balls in the universal covering space.     

Greatest lower bounds on Ricci curvature for toric Fano manifolds

In this short note, based on the work of Wang and Zhu (2004) [8], we determine the greatest lower bounds on Ricci curvature for all toric Fano manifolds.     

A splitting theorem for manifolds of almost nonnegative Ricci curvature

Cheeger and Gromoll proved that a closed Riemannian manifold of nonnegative Ricci curvature is, up to a finite cover, diffeomorphic to a direct product of a simply connected manifold and a torus. In this paper, we extend this theorem to manifolds of almost nonnegative Ricci curvature.     

Injectivity radius bound of Ricci flow with positive Ricci curvature and applications

We study the injectivity radius bound for 3-d Ricci flow with bounded curvature. As applications, we show the long time existence of the Ricci flow with positive Ricci curvature and with curvature decay condition at infinity. We partially settle a question of Chow-Lu-Ni [Hamilton’s Ricci Flow, p. 302].     

K?hler Manifolds with Almost Non-negative Ricci Curvature

Compact Kähler manifolds with semi-positive Ricci curvature have been investigated by various authors. From Peternell’s work, if M is a compact Kähler n-manifold with semi-positive Ricci curvature and finite fundamental group, then the universal cover has a decomposition \( \ifmmode\expandafter\tilde\else\expandafter\~\fi{M} \cong X_{1} \times \cdots \times X_{m} \), where X _j is a Calabi-Yau manifold, or a hyperKähler manifold, or X _j satisfies H ⁰(X _j , Ω ^p ) = 0. The purpose of this paper is to generalize this theorem to almost non-negative Ricci curvature Kähler manifolds by using the Gromov-Hausdorff convergence. Let M be a compact complex n-manifold with non-vanishing Euler number. If for any ∈ > 0, there exists a Kähler structure (J _∈, g _∈) on M such that the volume \({\text{Vol}}_{{g_{ \in } }} {\left( M \right)} < V\), the sectional curvature |K(g _∈)| < Λ², and the Ricci-tensor Ric(g _∈)> ?∈g _∈, where V and Λ are two constants independent of ∈. Then the fundamental group of M is finite, and M is diffeomorphic to a complex manifold X such that the universal covering of X has a decomposition, \( \ifmmode\expandafter\tilde\else\expandafter\~\fi{X} \cong X_{1} \times \cdots \times X_{s} \), where X _i is a Calabi-Yau manifold, or a hyperKähler manifold, or X _i satisfies H ⁰(X _i , Ω ^p ) = {0}, p > 0.     

Conformal metrics and Ricci tensors on the sphere

We consider tensors on the unit sphere , where , is the standard metric and is a differentiable function on . For such tensors, we consider the problems of existence of a Riemannian metric , conformal to , such that , and the existence of such a metric that 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, and we characterize those defined on the whole sphere. As a consequence of these results, we determine the tensors that are rotationally symmetric. Moreover, we obtain the well-known result that a tensor , 0 $">, has no solution on if and only metrics homothetic to admit as a Ricci tensor. We also show that if , then equation has no solution , conformal to on , and only metrics homothetic to are solutions to this equation when . Infinitely many solutions, globally defined on , are obtained for the equation

where . The geometric interpretation of these solutions is given in terms of existence of complete metrics, globally defined on and conformal to the Euclidean metric, for certain bounded scalar curvature functions that vanish at infinity.

     

Ricci Curvature and Fundamental Group

By refined volume estimates in terms of Ricci curvature, the two results due to J. Milnor (1968) are generalized.     

Curvature integrals under the Ricci flow on surfaces

In this paper, we consider the behavior of the total absolute and the total curvature under the Ricci flow on complete surfaces with bounded curvature. It is shown that they are monotone non-increasing and constant in time, respectively, if they exist and are finite at the initial time. As a related result, we prove that the asymptotic volume ratio is constant under the Ricci flow with non-negative Ricci curvature, at the end of the paper.