Volume comparison and the \(\sigma_k\)-Yamabe problem (Q1882623)

Let \((M^n, g)\) be a smooth, closed Riemannian manifold, with Ricci tensor Ric and scalar curvature \(R\). The Weyl-Schouten tensor is defined by \[ A=\frac{1}{n-2} \left(\text{Ric} - \frac{1}{2(n-1)} Rg \right). \] The authors study the problem of finding a conformal metric for which the \(k\)th elementary symmetric polynomial on the eigenvalues of \(A\) is constant. For \(k=1\) this is the classical Yamabe problem, while for \(k>1\) it is referred to as the \(\sigma_k\)-Yamabe problem, the latter being recently the object of a number of papers. For \(k \geq n/2\), the authors introduce a new conformal invariant called the \(k\)-maximal volume. Although reminiscent of the classical Yamabe invariant of a conformal class of metrics, the definition of the new invariant is not trivial as the for \(k>2\) the equation studied does not arise in a variational context. However, as in the classical case, if this new invariant is strictly less than its value for the sphere with the round metric, then solutions to the \(\sigma_k\)-Yamabe problem are shown to exist. A technical assumption needed here, as well as in proving compactness of the space of solutions, is that the conformal class of \(g\) admits a \(k\)-{admissible} metric. A metric is called \(k\)-admissible if the eigenvalues of \(A\) are in the positive cone of \({\mathbb R}^n\) (\(x_i >0\), \(\forall i.\)) Under this assumption, the \(\sigma_k\)-Yamabe problem is solved in dimension \(n=4\) and for \(3\)-dimensional manifolds which are not simply connected.