On the existence of extremal metrics for \(L^2\)-norm of scalar curvature on closed \(3\)-manifolds (Q1585444)

Let \((M,g_0)\) be a closed smooth \(3\)-manifold. The paper under review is concerned with the existence of extremal metrics for the \(L^2\)-norm of scalar curvature functional \[ Ss(g) = \text{vol}(M,g)^\frac{1}{3} \int_M R^2 d\mu \] restricted to the conformal class \(g \in [g_0]\). This functional is scale invariant and the Euler-Lagrange equation is given by \[ \Delta R + \frac{1}{8} R^2 - \frac{1}{8} r = 0,\tag{1} \] where \(R, d\mu\) and \(\Delta\) denote the scalar curvature, volume form and Laplacian with respect to the metric \(g\) and \(\text{vol}(M,g) = \int_M d \mu\). In this paper the authors consider the flow of \(Ss(g)\) on a given conformal class: \[ \frac{\partial \lambda}{\partial t} = \Delta R + \frac{1}{8} R^2 \frac{1}{8} r\tag{2} \] with initial conditions \(g = e^{2\lambda}g_0\); \((x,0) = \lambda_0(x)\) and \(\int_M e^{3\lambda_0} d \mu_0 = \int_M d \mu_0\), where \(\lambda : M \times [0, \infty) \to{\mathbb R}\) is a smooth function. The short time existence of solutions for (1) is well-known [\textit{S.-C. Chang}, Tsing Hua lectures on geometry and analysis, 1990-91, 41-50 (1997; Zbl 0898.58053)]. In this paper, the authors prove the long-time existence and asymptotic convergence of solutions of (1) on \(M^3 \times [0, \infty)\). The main results are the following (throughout this review, \((M, g_0\)) is assumed to be a closed \(3\)-manifold with a background metric \(g_0)\): Theorem A. If \(\lambda\) satisfies (1) on \([0, T)\) with \(\lambda \geq H\) for some positive constant \(H\) which is independent of \(t\), then the solution of (1) exists on \(M \times [0, \infty)\). Theorem B. Under the same assumptions as in Theorem A, there exists a subsequence of solutions \(\{e^{2\lambda(t)}g_0\}\) of (1) on \(M \times [0, \infty]\) which converges smoothly to an extremal metric \(g_\infty\) satisfying (2). On the other hand, let \[ Q(M,g_0) = \inf_{\phi \neq 0} \frac{ \int (|\nabla_0 \phi|^2 + = \frac{1}{8} R_0 \phi^2) d \mu_0} {\left(\int \phi^6 d \mu_0\right)^{\frac{1}{3}}}. \] This is often called the conformal invariant and note that if \(Q(M, g_0) < 0\), then \(M\) admits a metric of negative constant scalar curvature in the conformal class \([g_0]\). The third main result is the following. Theorem C. If \(Q(M,g_0) < 0\) and \(\lambda\) satisfies (1), then the same conclusions as in Theorem A and B follow. As an application, the Yamabe problem is recovered. If \(R_\infty \leq (\frac{\int R_\infty^2 d\mu_\infty} {\int d \mu_\infty})^{\frac{1}{2}}\), then it follows from (2) that \(R_\infty\) is a subharmonic function and so it must be a constant. Thus \(g_\infty\) is a metric resolving the Yamabe problem. It is enough to estimate \(\lambda\) to show the long-time existence of solutions for evolution equation such as (1). The authors obtain a \(C^0\)-bound and a \(W_{k, 2}\)-bound for \(\lambda\) on \([0, T)\) by using the standard Moser iteration method and the Harnack estimate obtained from their key estimate, called the mass decay estimate, \[ \frac{d}{d t} \int_M e^{4\lambda} d\mu_0 \leq I_0 + I_1 \int_M = e^{4\lambda} d \mu_0, \] where the positive constants \(I_0\) and \(I_1\) depend only on the metric \(g_0\). Then Theorem A follows directly from the bounds on \(\lambda\). However the bounds on \(\lambda\) may depend usually on \(T\). The authors obtain the uniform bounds from a mass decay estimate and this implies Theorem B. Finally, if \(Q(M, g_0) < 0\), then it follows from [\textit{M. J. Gursky}, Duke Math. J. 72, 339-367 (1993; Zbl 0809.53040)] that \(\lambda \geq - H\) for some constant \(H\). Applying this to Theorem A and B, one can obtain Theorem C.