\(Q\)-curvature flow on \(S^4\) (Q2497076)

Nonlinear evolution equations are important tools in differential geometry and mathematical physics. By now, the most famous example is the Hamilton-Ricci flow, due to Perelman's recent results. A further example is Struwe's prescribed curvature flow approach to the famous Nirenberg problem investigating which functions arise as the Gaussian curvature of a conformal metric on \(S^2\) [\textit{M. Struwe}, Duke Math. J. 128, No. 1, 19--64 (2005; Zbl 1087.53034)]. A natural generalization to 4-manifolds is to consider the \(Q\)-curvature \[ Q_g=-{1 \over{12}}(\Delta_g R_g-R_g^2+3 | \text{Ric}_g|^2\, , \] where \(R_g\) and Ric\(_g\) are respectively the scalar curvature and the Ricci tensor of a metric \(g\). The authors consider the problem of prescribing the \(Q\)-curvature of the standard 4-sphere \(S^4\) via a conformal transformation. Given a smooth positive function \(f\), they define a flow on metrics in the conformal class of the standard one. This flow leads to a solution of the problem as in the particular case when \(f\) is constant, or otherwise induces a blow-up of the metric near some point of \(S^4\). Convergence is then proved, using Morse theory, under suitable assumptions on \(f\).