\(\epsilon\)-regularity for shrinking Ricci solitons and Ricci flows (Q1682508)

\textit{J. Cheeger} and \textit{G. Tian} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 19, No. 2, 487--525 (2006; Zbl 1092.53034)] proved an \(\varepsilon\)-regularity theorem for \(4\)-dimensional Einstein manifolds without volume assumption. They conjectured that similar results should hold for critical metrics with constant scalar curvature, shrinking Ricci solitons, Ricci flows in \(4\)-dimensional manifolds and higher-dimensional Einstein manifolds. The authors of this paper consider all these problems. First, they construct counterexamples to the conjecture for \(4\)-dimensional critical metrics and counterexamples to the conjecture for higher-dimensional Einstein manifolds. For 4-dimensional shrinking Ricci solitons, they prove an \(\varepsilon\)-regularity theorem which confirm Cheeger-Tian's \(\varepsilon\)-regularity conjecture with a universal constant \(\varepsilon\). For the Ricci flow, they reduce Cheeger-Tian's \(\varepsilon\)-regularity conjecture to a backward pseudolocality estimate. By proving a global backward pseudolocality theorem, they prove a global \(\varepsilon\)-regularity theorem which partially confirms Cheeger-Tian's conjecture for Ricci flow. Furthermore, as a consequence of the \(\varepsilon\)-regularity, they show by using the structure theorem of \textit{A. Naber} and \textit{G. Tian} [in: Surveys in geometric analysis and relativity. Dedicated to Richard Schoen in honor of his 60th birthday. Somerville, MA: International Press; Beijing: Higher Education Press. 439--466 (2011; Zbl 1261.53043)] that a collapsed limit of shrinking Ricci solitons with bounded \(L^2\) curvature has a smooth Riemannian orbifold structure away from a finite number of points.