Non-free isometric immersions of Riemannian manifolds (Q2454836): Difference between revisions

Let \((V,g)\) be a \(n\)-dimensional Riemannian manifold and let \(D\) be the isometric immersion operator which associates to a map \(f\) (from \((V, g)\) to the \(q\)-dimensional Euclidean space \(\mathbb R^q\)) the induced metric \(D(f) = g\). The Nash-Gromov implicit function theorem asserts that \(D\) is infinitesimally invertible over the space of free maps. A map is called free if all its first and second derivatives are linearly independent; see Cartan and Janet, 1926 [\textit{M. Janet}, JFM 53.0699.01)]. A free map is an immersion; the condition to be free limits \(q\) to be at least \(n + n(n+1)/2\). The main goal of the paper is to study the following open problem of M. Gromov: Show that the isometric immersion operator \(D\) is infinitesimally invertible over a dense open subset of maps, for all \(q \geq n(n+1)/2\). In his book [Partial Differential Relations. Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1986; Zbl 0651.53001), p. 163], \textit{M. Gromov} indicates an approach based on his genericity theorem for underdetermined differential operators. The existence of an algebraic right inverse for a differential operator is generic for underdetermined operators [\textit{P. Pansu}, ``Submanifolds and differential forms on Carnot manifolds, after M. Gromov and M. Rumin'', preprint (2005)]. The authors prove that the operator \(D:C^\infty(\mathbb R^2, \mathbb R^4) \to G\) is infinitesimally invertible over a non-empty open subset of \(C^\infty(\mathbb R^2, \mathbb R^4)\); \(G\) is the space (Whitney topology) of \(C^\infty\)-quadratic forms on \(\mathbb R^2\).