The sphere theorems for manifolds with positive scalar curvature (Q1943232): Difference between revisions

The authors prove two new differentiable sphere theorems using techniques from Ricci flow and stable currents. The first theorem states that if \(M^n\,,\,n\geq 3,\) is a compact smooth manifold whose normalized scalar curvature \(R_0\) and sectional curvature \(K_{\max}\) or \(K_{\min}\) satisfy one of two pointwise pinching conditions, \(R_0 > \sigma_n K_{\max}\) or \(K_{\min} > \eta_n R_0\), where \(\sigma_n, \eta_n \in (\frac{1}{4}, 1)\) are explicit positive rational numbers, then \(M\) is diffeomorphic to a spherical space form. This theorem generalizes a similar result by the authors for manifolds of positive Ricci curvature. It also gives a partial answer to Yau's conjecture on the pointwise pinching theorem. Their second theorem states that if \(M^n\,,\,n\geq 3,\) is a compact smooth manifold whose normalized scalar curvature \(R_0\) and \((n-2)\)-th Ricci curvature \(\mathrm{Ric}^{(n-2)}\) satisfy one of two pointwise pinching conditions, \((n-2) R_0 > \mu_n\mathrm{Ric}^{(n-2)}_{\max}\) or \(\mathrm{Ric}^{(n-2)}_{\min} > \tau_n (n-2) R_0\), where \(\mu_n, \tau_n \in (\frac{1}{4}, 1)\) are explicit positive rational numbers, then \(M\) is diffeomorphic to a spherical space form. The authors then extend these sphere theorems to submanifolds of Riemannian manifolds and provide a classification of submanifolds with weakly pinched curvatures.