Spinors, calibrations and Grassmannians. (Q1411737)

A calibration on a Riemannian manifold \(M\) is a closed \(k\)-form \(\xi\) such that \(\xi_p(e_1\wedge\cdots\wedge e_k)\leq 1\) for every set of orthonormal vectors in \(T_pM\). The set of sets of orthonormal vectors for which we have equality is the contact set for \(\xi\); this set is required to be nonempty. Calibrations arise naturally from elements \(\eta\) of the complex Clifford algebra \(\text{Cl}_n\). The aim of this paper is to investigate the calibrations that arise form the generators of the irreducible \(\text{Cl}_n\)-modules that were listed in the author's preceding work [ibid. 27, 57--75 (2003; Zbl 1042.15015)]. These lead to various calibration sets, which are shown to be manifolds in some low-dimensional cases. The author then studies the isotropy groups of calibrations, and some special properties of calibrations.