The Lichnerowicz and Obata first eigenvalue theorems and the Obata uniqueness result in the Yamabe problem on CR and quaternionic contact manifolds (Q494203)
From MaRDI portal
scientific article
Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
---|---|---|---|
English | The Lichnerowicz and Obata first eigenvalue theorems and the Obata uniqueness result in the Yamabe problem on CR and quaternionic contact manifolds |
scientific article |
Statements
The Lichnerowicz and Obata first eigenvalue theorems and the Obata uniqueness result in the Yamabe problem on CR and quaternionic contact manifolds (English)
0 references
31 August 2015
0 references
In this survey, the authors begin by reviewing, in the context of compact Riemannian manifolds, the Lichnerowicz and Obata theorems on the smallest eigenvalue of an \(n\)-dimensional Riemannian manifold with \(\text{Ric} \geq n-1\), and that of Yamabe on conformal transformations of a Riemannian metric with constant scalar curvature. The main focus of the rest of the paper is to study versions of these questions in sub-Riemannian geometry; specifically, in CR and quaternionic contact geometries. The authors report on a wide variety of recent work making progress on these questions, including a discussion of how techniques from the Riemannian case can be extended. Also included is a new proof of Obata's theorem stating that when \(\text{Ric} \geq n-1\), the smallest possible eigenvalue \(n\) is attained only by the round sphere. It goes by showing that a manifold attaining the lowest eigenvalue must be Einstein. A very extensive list of references is included.
0 references
sub-Riemannian geometry
0 references
CR and quaternionic contact structures
0 references
Sobolev inequality
0 references
Yamabe equation
0 references
Lichnerowicz eigenvalue estimate
0 references
Obata theorem
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references
0 references