An explicit formula for the Webster torsion of a pseudo-Hermitian manifold and its application to torsion-free hypersurfaces (Q867819)

Let \(M\) be a strictly pseudoconvex hypersurface in \(\mathbb C^{n+1}\) determined by the real function \(\rho\) which is of class \(C^3\) in a heighbourhood of \(M\). The pseudo-Hermitian structure on \(M\) defined by the form \(\theta = \frac{1}{2i}(\partial\rho - \bar\partial\rho)\) is considered. The main result of the paper is an explicit formula expressing the Webster torsion [\textit{S. M. Webster}, J. Diff. Geom. 13, 25--41 (1978; Zbl 0379.53016)] of this structure in terms of the function \(\rho\). It implies a transformation formula for the torsion when \(\rho\) is replaced by \(h\rho\), where \(h\) is a positive function. As an application, the following theorem is proved: a real ellipsoid in \(\mathbb C^{n+1}\) is torsion-free if and only if it can be transformed into the unit sphere by a complex affine transformation.