The existence of type II singularities for the Ricci flow on \(S^{n+1}\) (Q947300)

Let \(g(t)\) be a one-parameter family of metrics on a compact manifold \(M\). For an initial Riemannian metric \(g_{_ 0}\), the Ricci flow is the evolution equation \(g'=-2\text{Ric}\) with \(g(0)=g_{_0}\) on \(M\). Suppose that a solution \((M,g(t))\) of the Ricci flow develops singularities at a maximal time \(T<+\infty\). It is said that it develops a Type I singularity if \(\sup_{t\in[0,T)}(T-t)K_{\max}(t)<+\infty\) and a Type II singularity if \(\sup_{t\in[0,T)}(T-t)K_{\max}(t)=+\infty\), where \(K_{\max}(t)= \max\{| Rm(x,t)|\); \(x\in M\}\). Clearly, a round sphere, or more generally a finite product of several space-forms with positive curvature, shrinks to form Type I singularities. A metric \(g\) on \(I\times S^n\), where \(I\) is an interval, is called rotationally symmetric if it is of the form \(g=\phi(x)^2dx^2+\psi(x)^2g_{\text{can}}\), \(x\in I\), where \(g_{\text{can}}\) is the standard metric of the round sphere \(S^n\) with constant sectional curvature \(1\). In this paper, the authors show that, for each \(n\geq 2\), there exist rotationally symmetric metrics on \(S^{n+1}\) such that the Ricci flow develops Type II singularities at some time \(T<+\infty\).