On the geometry of Sp(1)-instantons with Pontrjagin index 1 on the 4- sphere (Q1117483)

The Riemannian and conformal geometry of the space \({\mathcal N}\) of Sp(1)- instantons with index 1 on \(S^ 4\) is studied. The basic instanton \(A_ 0\) and its associated elliptic complex is studied using powerful tools derived from representation theory (including Frobenius reciprocity). \({\mathcal N}\) has constant positive sectional curvature at \([A_ 0]\) and, from the identification \({\mathcal N}=Conf f_ 0(S^ 4)/Iso_ 0(S^ 4)\) of \({\mathcal N}\) as a homogeneous space, there is a foliation \({\mathcal N}- [A_ 0]\cong (1,\infty)\times S^ 4\) away from the basic instanton. In terms of this foliation, the metric g on \({\mathcal N}\) is given explicitly and the Weyl tensor is shown to vanish. Finally an explicit function \(\chi\) is found such that the Riemannian manifold (\({\mathcal N},e^{2\chi}g)\) is isometric to a ball in \({\mathbb{R}}^ 5\).