The conformal-Killing equation on \(G_{2}\)- and \(\mathrm{Spin}_7\)-structures (Q533428)

The study of conformal-Killing forms started in [\textit{U. Semmelmann}, ``Conformal Killing forms on Riemannian manifolds'', Math. Z. 245, No.~3, 503--527 (2003; Zbl 1061.53033)]. Such forms exist on some classes of Riemannian manifolds like spaces of constant curvature, Sasakian manifolds or conformally-flat Einstein-Kähler manifolds. The results of this paper can be seen as a sequel to those proved in [\textit{V. Apostolov, D. M. J. Calderbank} and \textit{P. Gauduchon}, ``Hamiltonian 2-forms in Kähler geometry. I: General theory'', J. Differ. Geom. 73, No.~3, 359--412 (2006; Zbl 1101.53041); \textit{L. David}, ``The fundamental form of almost-quaternionic Hermitian manifolds'', J. Geom. Phys. 60, No.~4, 574--580 (2010; Zbl 1206.53052)] saying that an almost Hermitian manifold whose Kähler form is conformal-Killing is necessarily nearly Kähler, and an almost quaternionic-Hermitian manifold whose fundamental form is conformal-Killing is necessarily quaternionic-Kähler, respectively. The main results of the paper are formulated in two theorems. Theorem 1. Let \(M\) be a 7-manifold with a \(G_2\)-structure defined by \(\phi \in \Omega^3_+(M)\), and let \(g_{\phi}\) be the associated Riemannian metric. Then \(\phi\) is conformally Killing with respect to \(g_{\phi}\) if and only if the \(G_2\)-structure is nearly parallel. Theorem 2. Let \(N\) be an 8-manifold with a \(\text{Spin}_7\)-structure defined by \(\psi \in \Omega^4_+(N) \), and let \(g_{\psi}\) be the associated Riemannian metric. Then \(\psi\) is conformally Killing with respect to \(g_{\psi}\) if and only if the \(\text{Spin}_7\)-structure is parallel.