Stability of Einstein metrics under Ricci flow (Q2186098): Difference between revisions

The \(\lambda\)-functional on the space of metrics on a manifold \(M\) is defined by \(\lambda(g)=\inf \{\int_M(\operatorname{scal}_g+|\nabla f|_g^2)e^{-f}dV_g:f\in C^{\infty}(M),\, \int_M e^{-f}dV_g=1\}\). Perelman observed that the Ricci flow (a curve of metrics \(g(t)\) such that \(\dot{g}=-2\operatorname{Ric}_{g(t)}\)) can be interpreted as the gradient of this functional. The Yamabe invariant of a conformal class of metrics \([g]\) on \(M\) is defined by \(Y(M,[g])=\inf_{h\in[g]}\operatorname{vol}(M,h)^{\frac2{n-1}}\int_M\operatorname{scal}_hdV_h\). Let \(\mathcal{M}\) be the set of smooth metrics on \(M\). The number \(Y(M)=\sup_{g\in\mathcal M} Y(M,[g])\) is called the smooth Yamabe invariant of \(M\). A metric \(g\) is called supreme if it realizes the Yamabe invariant in its conformal class and the smooth Yamabe invariant of the manifold. The author proves the following: Theorem. A Ricci-flat metric \(g_{RF}\) is a local maximizer of \(\lambda\) if and only if it is a local maximizer of the Yamabe functional, i.e., there are no metrics of positive scalar curvature close to \(g_{RF}\). The author calls a compact Einstein manifold \((M,g_E)\) dynamically stable if, for any \(C^k\)-neighbourhood \(U\) of \(g_E\) in the space of metrics, there exists a \(C^{k+2}\)-neighbourhood \(V\subset U\) such that, for any \(g_0\in V\), the normalized Ricci flow starting at \(g_0\) exists for all \(t\ge0\) and converges modulo diffeomorphisms to an Einstein metric in \(U\). A compact Einstein manifold \((M,g_E)\) is dynamically unstable if there exists a nontrivial normalized Ricci flow defined on \((-\infty,0]\) which converges modulo diffeomorphisms to \(g_E\) as \(t\rightarrow-\infty\). The author proves that, if \((M,g_E)\) is a compact Einstein manifold with Einstein constant \(\mu\) such that \((M,g_E)\) is is a local maximizer of the Yamabe functional with the smallest eigenvalue \(\lambda\) of the Laplacian satisfying \(\lambda>2\mu\), then \((M,g_E)\) is dynamically stable. If \((M,g_E)\) is not a local maximizer of the Yamabe functional or \(\lambda<2\mu\), then \((M,g_E)\) is dynamically unstable. Among several other interesting results, the author proves that \(\mathbb{CP}^n\) with the standard metric is dynamically unstable for \(n>1\).