Characterization of the potential function of a Ricci soliton (Q6113091)

Since the introduction of the Ricci flow equation by \textit{R. S. Hamilton} [J. Differ. Geom. 17, 255--306 (1982; Zbl 0504.53034)], \[ \partial_t \mathrm{g}(t) = -2\mathrm{Ric}(\mathrm{g})(t), \] a prolific research line dealing with its special solutions on some smooth manifolds \(M\) emerged. One such class of solutions is named ``self-similar'', which are derived by choosing an initial metric \(\mathrm{g}\) on \(M\) and looking for one-parameter diffeomorphisms \(\phi_t: M\times [0, T[\rightarrow M\) (with \(\phi_0 = \mathrm{Id}\)) such that \(\phi_t^*(\mathrm{g})\) solves the Ricci flow equation. Self-similar solutions for the Ricci flow correspond to the so-called Ricci solitons. They are a pair \((M,\mathrm{g})\), where \(\mathrm g\) is characterized by the existence of a vector field \(X\) in \(M\) and \(\lambda \in \mathbb{R}\) such that \[ \mathrm{Ric}(\mathrm{g}) = \lambda\mathrm{g} - \frac{1}{2}\mathcal L_X(\mathrm g), \] where \(\mathcal L_X(\mathrm g)\) stands for the Lie derivative of \(\mathrm g\) in the \(X\) direction. The Ricci soliton \((M,\mathrm g)\) is said to be \textit{expanding} if \(\lambda < 0\), \textit{steady} if \(\lambda = 0\) and \textit{shrinking} if \(\lambda > 0\). Whenever a smooth function \(f: M\rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) exists such that \(X = \nabla f\), we say that \((M,\mathrm g)\) is a \textit{gradient Ricci soliton}, while \(f\) is the \textit{potential function} of \((M,\mathrm g)\). In the present paper the author estimates the potential function along some geodesic in a Ricci soliton constrained by a curvature condition. He obtains a result that ensures that the potential function is a parabola along some geodesic, provided a given curvature rigidity is imposed. The behavior of the potential function associated with the gradient vector field along some geodesic is investigated as well. Recall that a \textit{line} in a Riemannian manifold \(M\) is a complete geodesic \(\gamma: ]-\infty,\infty[\rightarrow M\) which minimizes the distance between any of its two points. The Topogonov-Cheeger-Gromoll theorem states that a complete Riemannian manifold with nonnegative Ricci curvature and a line is isometric to \(\mathbb{R}\times N\) with \(N\subset M\) being a complete submanifold. The main result reads as follows: Let \((M,\mathrm{g})\) be a gradient Ricci soliton such that for any geodesic \(\beta(t)\) in \(M\) we have \(\int_0^t\mathrm{Ric}(\beta'(s),\beta'(s))ds \geq 0\) for any \(t\geq 0\). Also, assume that \(\mathrm{g}\) has a line. Then it is possible to find a geodesic \(\sigma\) in \(M\) such that the potential function \(f\) composed with \(\sigma\) takes the form \[ f\circ \sigma(t) = \lambda\frac{t^2}{2} + (f\circ \sigma)'(0)t + (f\circ \sigma)(0). \] Moreover, if \(\mathrm{g}\) has nonnegative Ricci curvature then \(\mathrm{Hess}~f(\sigma'(t),\sigma'(t)) = \lambda\).