A new proof of a theorem of Petersen (Q295128)

From the introduction: Let \(M\) be an \(n\)-dimensional complete Riemannian manifold with Ricci curvature \(\geq n-1\). In [Invent. Math. 124, No. 1--3, 175--191 (1996; Zbl 0871.53027); ibid. 124, No. 1--3, 193--214 (1996; Zbl 0871.53028)], \textit{T. H. Colding} proved that the following three conditions are equivalent: 1) \(d_{GH}(M,S^n)\longrightarrow 0\); 2) the volume of \(M\) satisfies \(\mathrm{Vol}(M)\longrightarrow \mathrm{Vol}(S^n)\); 3) the radius of \(M\) satisfies, \(\mathrm{rad}(M)\longrightarrow \pi\). To this end, he developed some new techniques and got some \(L^2\)-estimates of distances and angles. On the other hand, by developing a completely different technique, \textit{P. Petersen} later got a 4-th equivalent condition [ibid. 138, No. 1, 1--21 (1999; Zbl 0988.53011)], i.e., proved the following theorem: Petersen's theorem. Let \(M\) be an \(n\)-dimensional complete Riemannian manifold with Ricci curvature \(\mathrm{Ric}_M\geq n-1\). Then the radius \(\mathrm{rad}(M)\) of \(M\) is close to \(\pi\) if and only if the \((n+1)\)-th eigenvalue \(\lambda_{n+1}(M)\) of \(M\) is close to \(n\). The aim of this paper is to give a new proof of Petersen's theorem by directly utilizing Colding's techniques [loc. cit.].