\(\sigma_k\)-scalar curvature and eigenvalues of the Dirac operator (Q2501145)

Let \((M,g)\) be an \(n\)-dimensional closed, oriented Riemannian manifold and denote by \(S_g=\frac{1}{n-2}(\text{Ric}_g-\frac{R_g}{2(n-1)} g)\) the Schouten tensor of the metric \(g\). The \(\sigma_k\)-scalar curvature of \(g\) is the \(k\)-th elementary symmetric function of the set of eigenvalues of the tensor field \(C^1_1(g^{-1} \otimes S_g)\). If \(n=4\), then the integral \({\mathcal F}_2(g)=\int_M\sigma_2(g)\, d\text{vol} (g)\) is a conformal invariant. The author clarifies the role of \({\mathcal F}_2(g)\) in the study of the spectrum of the Dirac operator. In fact, combining a result of Hijazi with recent results on the \(\sigma_2\)-scalar curvature, he proves the following theorem: Let \((M,g)\) be a closed Riemannian spin manifold such that \(\dim M=4\) and the first eigenvalue \(\mu_1\) of the Yamabe operator is strictly positive. Then, any eigenvalue \(\lambda\) of the Dirac operator satisfies: \(\lambda^4\geq\frac{32}{3}\frac{{\mathcal F}_2 (g)}{\text{Vol}(M,g)}\). Moreover, if equality holds, \((M,g)\) is a round sphere and the corresponding eigenspinors are Killing spinors. This theorem fails in higher dimension, if one uses the \(\sigma_k\)-scalar curvature with \(k<\frac n2\) to replace \(\sigma_{\frac{n}{2}}\)-scalar curvature. In fact, if \(g\) is a \(k\)-positive metric on \(M\), \(\dim M=n\) and \(k<\frac n2\), then there exist \(C\in\mathbb{R}^*_+\) and a sequence \(\{g_i\}\) of \(k\)-positive metrics in the conformal class of \(g\) such that, for any \(i\), the first eigenvalue of the Dirac operator satisfies \(\lambda_1 (g_i)\leq C\) and \(\lim_{i\to\infty}\frac{\int_M\sigma_k(g_i)\, \text{dvol} (g_i)} {\text{Vol}(g_i)}=\infty\).