Publications

We prove a Riemannian positive mass theorem for asymptotically flat spin manifolds with hypersurface singularities.

    Unlike earlier results, some components of the singular set may be mean-concave, provided that other components of the singular set are sufficiently mean-convex. 

    Our proof uses initial data sets where a suitably chosen second fundamental form transfers convexity defects between different singularity components. 

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

We prove Gromov's conjecture on the total mean curvature of fill-ins in various cases.

Our methods are based on surgery to reduce the statement to fill-ins of spheres, which can be treated by instances of the positive mass theorem. 

For spin fill-ins, where we permit the mean curvature to take negative values, we build on a recent positive mass theorem with creases by Kazaras--Khuri--Lin.

For non-spin fill-ins of spin manifolds, where we assume the mean curvature to be non-negative, we develop a novel quantitative surgery process to reduce the general situation to a result of Shi--Wang--Wei.

We also treat the case of fill-ins of non-spin manifolds, provided there is a fixed positive lower bound on the mean curvature.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

Using the index theory for twisted Dirac operators acting on sections of Lipschitz bundles over non-compact manifolds, we prove  Llarull-type comparison results in scalar curvature geometry. They apply to spin Riemannian manifolds with cone-like singularities and Lipschitz comparison maps to spheres. We use the  language of abstract cone operators which are introduced and studied in a general functional analytic setting and which may be of independent interest. Applying our discussion to spherical suspensions of odd-dimensional closed manifolds, we  generalize a  Lipschitz rigidity  result of the first three named authors from even to odd dimensions. Under stronger conditions, this has already been shown by Lee-Tam using geometric flows and by Bär using an upper estimate for the smallest Dirac eigenvalue.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

We utilize a condition for algebraic curvature operators called surgery stability as suggested by the work of Hoelzel to investigate the space of riemannian metrics over closed manifolds satisfying these conditions. Our main result is a parametrized Gromov–Lawson construction with not necessarily trivial normal bundles and shows that the homotopy type of this space of metrics is invariant under surgeries of a suitable codimension. This is a generalization of a well-known theorem by Chernysh and Walsh for metrics of positive scalar curvature. As an application of our method, we show that the space of metrics of positive scalar curvature on quaternionic projective spaces are homotopy equivalent to that on spheres.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

The main result of this paper is that when M_0, M_1 are two simply connected spin manifolds of the same dimension d≥5 which both admit a metric of positive scalar curvature, the spaces \mathcal{M}^+(M0) and \mathcal{M}^+(M_1) of such metrics are homotopy equivalent. This supersedes a previous result of Chernysh and Walsh which gives the same conclusion when M_0 and M_1 are also spin cobordant.

We also prove an analogous result for simply connected manifolds which do not admit a spin structure; we need to assume that d≠8 in that case.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

The goal of this note is to demonstrate how existing results can be adapted

to establish the following result: A locally metric measure homogeneous RCD(????, ????)

space is isometric to, after multiplying a positive constant to the reference measure,

a smooth Riemannian manifold with the Riemannian volume measure.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

In each dimension $4k+1\geq 9$, we exhibit infinite families of closed manifolds with fundamental group $\mathbb Z_2$ for which the moduli space of metrics of nonnegative sectional curvature has infinitely many path components. Examples of closed manifolds with finite fundamental group with this property were known before only in dimension $5$ and dimensions $4k+3\geq 7$.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

In this paper we study non-negatively curved and rationally elliptic GKM4 manifolds and orbifolds. We show that their rational cohomology rings are isomorphic to the rational cohomology of certain model orbifolds. These models are quotients of isometric actions of finite groups on non-negatively curved torus orbifolds.

Moreover, we give a simplified proof of a characterisation of products of simplices among orbit spaces of locally standard torus manifolds. This characterisation was originally proved in [Wiemeler, Torus manifolds and non-negative curvature, arXiv:1401.0403] and was used there to obtain a classification of non-negatively curved torus manifolds.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

We study spaces and moduli spaces of Riemannian metrics with non-negative Ricci or non-negative sectional curvature on closed and open manifolds and construct, in particular, the first classes of manifolds for which these spaces have non-trivial rational homotopy, homology and cohomology groups. We also show that in every dimension at least seven (respectively, at least eight) there exist closed (respectively, open) manifolds for which the moduli space of Riemannian metrics with non-negative sectional curvature has infinitely many path components. An analogous statement holds for spaces of non-negative Ricci curvature metrics in every dimension at least eleven (respectively, twelve).

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

We show that local deformations, near closed subsets, of solutions to open partial differential relations can be extended to global deformations, provided all but the highest derivatives stay constant along the subset. The applicability of this general result is illustrated by a number of examples, dealing with convex embeddings of hypersurfaces, differential forms, and lapse functions in Lorentzian geometry.

The main application is a general approximation result by sections which have very restrictive local properties an open dense subsets. This shows, for instance, that given any K∈R every manifold of dimension at least two carries a complete C^1,1-metric which, on a dense open subset, is smooth with constant sectional curvature K. Of course this is impossible for C^2-metrics in general.

Related project(s):
5Index theory on Lorentzian manifolds15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

We show that the moduli space of metrics of nonnegative sectional curvature on every homotopy RP^5 has infinitely many path components. We also show that in each dimension 4k+1 there are at least 2^{2k} homotopy RP^{4k+1}s of pairwise distinct oriented diffeomorphism type for which the moduli space of metrics of positive Ricci curvature has infinitely many path components. Examples of closed manifolds with finite fundamental group with these properties were known before only in dimensions 4k+3≥7.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

Let M be a simply connected spin manifold of dimension at least six which admits a metric of positive scalar curvature. We show that the observer moduli space of positive scalar curvature metrics on M has non-trivial higher homotopy groups.

Moreover, denote by \mathcal{M}^+_0(M) the moduli space of positive scalar cuvature metrics on M associated to the group of orientation-preserving diffeomorphisms of M. We show that if M belongs to a certain class of manifolds which includes (2n−2)-connected (4n−2)-dimensional manifolds, then the fundamental group of \mathcal{M}^+_0(M) is non-trivial.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

Given a manifold $M$, we completely determine which rational $\kappa$-classes are non-trivial for (fiber homotopy trivial) $M$-bundles over the $k$-sphere, provided that the dimension of $M$ is large compared to $k$. We furthermore study the vector space of these spherical $\kappa$-classes and give an upper and a lower bound on its dimension. The proof is based on the classical approach to studying diffeomorphism groups via block bundles and surgery theory and we make use of ideas developed by Krannich--Kupers--Randal-Williams.

As an application, we show the existence of elements of infinite order in the homotopy groups of the spaces $\mathcal R_{\mathrm{Ric}>0}(M)$ and $\mathcal R_{\mathrm{sec}>0}(M)$ of positive Ricci and positive sectional curvature, provided that $M$ is $\mathrm{Spin}$, has a non-trivial rational Pontryagin class and admits such a metric. This is done by showing that the $\kappa$-class associated to the $\hat{\mathcal A}$-class is spherical for such a manifold.

In the appendix co-authored by Jens Reinhold it is (partially) determined which classes of the rational oriented cobordism ring contain an element that fibers over a sphere of a given dimension.

Related project(s):
9Diffeomorphisms and the topology of positive scalar curvature15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

In this paper we study spaces of Riemannian metrics with lower bounds on intermedi- ate curvatures. We show that the spaces of metrics of positive p-curvature and k-positive Ricci curvature on a given high-dimensional Spin-manifold have many non-trivial homotopy groups provided that the manifold admits such a metric.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

We construct and study an H-space multiplication on \(\mathcal{R}^+(M)\) for manifolds M which are nullcobordant in their own tangential 2-type. This is applied to give a rigidity criterion for the action of the diffeomorphism group on \(\mathcal{R}^+(M)\) via pullback. We also compare this to other known multiplicative structures on \(\mathcal{R}^+(M)\).

Related project(s):
9Diffeomorphisms and the topology of positive scalar curvature15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

We present a rigidity theorem for the action of the mapping class group \(\pi_0(\mathrm{Diff}(M))\)on the space \(\mathcal{R}^+(M)\) of metrics of positive scalar curvature for high dimensional manifolds M. This result is applicable to a great number of cases, for example to simply connected 6-manifolds and high dimensional spheres. Our proof is fairly direct, using results from parametrised Morse theory, the 2-index theorem and computations on certain metrics on the sphere. We also give a non-triviality criterion and a classification of the action for simply connected 7-dimensional Spin-manifolds.

Related project(s):
9Diffeomorphisms and the topology of positive scalar curvature15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

We introduce Riemannian metrics of positive scalar curvature on manifolds with Baas-Sullivan singularities, prove a corresponding homology invariance principle and discuss admissible products.

Using this theory we construct positive scalar curvature metrics on closed smooth manifolds of dimensions at least five which have odd order abelian fundamental groups, are non-spin and  atoral. This solves the Gromov-Lawson-Rosenberg conjecture for a new class of manifolds with finite fundamental groups.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

Based on  Morse theory for the energy functional on path spaces we develop a deformation theory for mapping spaces of  spheres into orthogonal groups. This is used to show that these mapping spaces are weakly homotopy equivalent, in a stable range, to mapping spaces associated to orthogonal Clifford representations. Given an oriented Euclidean bundle $V \to X$ of rank divisible by four over a finite complex $X$ we derive a stable decomposition result for vector bundles over  the sphere bundle $\mathbb{S}( \mathbb{R} \oplus V)$  in terms of vector bundles and Clifford module bundles over $X$. After passing to topological K-theory these results imply classical Bott-Thom isomorphism theorems.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds52Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds II

We investigate regularization of riemannian metrics by mollification. Assuming both-sided bounds on the Ricci tensor and a lower injectivity radius bound we obtain a uniform estimate on the change of the sectional curvature. Actually, our result holds for any metric with a uniform bound on the $W^{2,p}$-harmonic radius.

Related project(s):
15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds

We construct smooth bundles with base and fiber products of two spheres whose total spaces have nonvanishing A-hat-genus. We then use these bundles to locate nontrivial rational homotopy groups of spaces of Riemannian metrics with lower curvature bounds for all Spin manifolds of dimension 6 or at least 10, which admit such a metric and are a connected sum of some manifold and \(S^n\times S^n\) or \(S^n\times S^{n+1}\), respectively. We also construct manifolds M whose spaces of Riemannian metrics of positive scalar curvature have homotopy groups that contain elements of infinite order that lie in the image of the orbit map induced by the push-forward action of the diffeomorphism group of M.

Related project(s):
9Diffeomorphisms and the topology of positive scalar curvature15Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Riemannian Metrics with Curvature Bounds on compact and non-compact Manifolds