A CR twistor space of a \(G_{2}\)-manifold (Q531722): Difference between revisions

The paper is inspired by \textit{C. R. LeBrun}'s paper [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 284, 601--616 (1984; Zbl 0513.53006)]. In his work, LeBrun constructed a twistor space for 3-manifold which happens to be a CR-manifold of real dimension 5. The geometry of \(G_2\)-manifolds is remarkably similar to the geometry of 3-manifolds, reason for the author of the present paper to seek an analogue of LeBrun's construction. Let \(M\) be a smooth manifold, \(B\subset TM\) a subbundle in its tangent bundle, and \(I\in\mathrm{End}\, B\) its automorphism, \(I^2=-\mathrm{Id}_B\). The author considers the \((1,0)\) and \((0,1)\)-bundles \(B^{1,0},B^{0,1}\subset B\otimes \mathbb{C}\), which are eigenspaces of \(I\) corresponding to the eigenvalues \(\sqrt{-1}\) and \(-\sqrt{-1}\). The subbundle \(B^{1,0}\subset TM\otimes \mathbb{C}\) is called a CR-structure on \(M\) if it is involutive, i.e., satisfies \([B^{1,0},B^{1,0}]\subset B^{1,0}\). If \(B=TM\), CR-structures are the same as complex structures. For any codimension \(1\) real submanifold \(M\) in a complex manifold \((X,I)\), the intersection \(B:=TX\cap I(TX)\) is a complex subbundle of codimension \(1\) in \(TX\), and the restriction \(I|_B\) defines a CR-structure. \(G_2\)-manifolds originally appeared in \textit{M. Berger}'s classification of holonomy [Bull. Soc. Math. Fr. 83, 279--330 (1955; Zbl 0068.36002)]. The first examples of \(G_2\)-manifolds were obtained by \textit{R. L. Bryant} and \textit{S. M. Salamon} [Duke Math. J. 58, No.~3, 829--850 (1989; Zbl 0681.53021)]. The author of the present paper considers the unit sphere \(S^6M\) over \(M\), with the fiber \(S^6\). Let \(T_{\text{hor}}S^6M\subset TS^6M\) be the horizontal subbundle corresponding to the Levi-Civita connection. This subbundle has a natural section \(\theta\). Denote by \(B\subset T_{\text{hor}}S^6M\) the orthogonal complement to \(\theta\) in \(T_{\text{hor}}S^6M\). Since at each point \((x,m)\in S^6M\), the restriction \(B|_{(x,m)}\) is identified with \(x^{\perp}\subset T_mM\), this bundle is equipped with a natural complex structure, i.e., an operator \(I\in \mathrm{End\,} B\), \(I^2=-\mathrm{Id}_B\). The main result of the paper is the following theorem. Theorem 1.10. Let \(M\) be an almost \(G_2\)-manifold, \(S^6M\subset TM\) its unit sphere bundle, and \(B\subset TS^6M\) a subbundle of its tangent bundle constructed above, and equipped with the complex structure \(I\) as above. Then, \(B^{0,1}\subset B\otimes \mathbb{C}\subset TS^6M\otimes \mathbb{C}\) is involutive if and only if \(M\) is a holonomy \(G_2\)-manifold. If \(M\) is a holonomy \(G_2\)-manifold and \(Tw(M):=(S^6M,B,I)\) the CR-manifold given in Theorem 1.10, then \(Tw(M)\) is called a CR-twistor space of \(M\). The author proves that this CR-structure is integrable if and only if \(M\) is a holonomy \(G_2\)-manifold. Then, he interprets \(G_2\)-instanton bundles as CR-holomorphic bundles on its twistor space.