A cohomology \((p+1)\) form canonically associated with certain codimension-\(q\) foliations on a Riemannian manifold (Q854391)

The authors show that if \(X\), \(Y\) are basic vector fields on a closed, connected, oriented, Riemannian foliated manifold with a transversally oriented foliation \(\mathbf{F} \) then the leaf component of \([X,Y]\), \({\mathcal V} [X,Y]\), has vanishing leaf divergence whenever the exterior product \(k \wedge \chi_{\mathbf{F}}\) of the mean curvature 1-form \(k\) of the foliation \(\mathbf{F}\) and its characteristic form \(\chi_{\mathbf{F}}\) is a closed (possibly zero) de Rham cohomology \((p+1)\)-form. If \(\mathbf{F} \) has codimension 2 then \(k \wedge \chi_{\mathbf{F}}\) is closed if and only if \(k\) is horizontally closed. In some particular cases, necessary and sufficient conditions for \(k \wedge \chi_{\mathbf{F}}\) to be harmonic are given. As an application, the authors give conditions ensuring that certain closed 3-manifolds are locally Riemannian products. It is also proved that bundle-like foliations with totally umbilical leaves on a constant curvature manifold with non-integrable transversal distribution and Einstein-like transversal geometry are totally geodesic. Added in 2007: The errata concern a correction of the last sentence of Theorem 1.2 on p. 250.