Weighted Sobolev inequalities and Ricci flat manifolds (Q1005073)

Let \(M\) be a complete connected non-compact Riemannian manifold of dimension \(n\geq3\) with non-negative Ricci curvature. If \(P\in M\), let \(V(r,P)\) be the volume of the ball of radius \(r\) about \(P\). Let \(\rho_P(t):=t^nV(P,t)^{-1}\). The authors establish weighted Sobolev inequalities and a Hardy inequality and thereby obtain rigidity results for Ricci flat manifolds. The main result of the paper is the following: Theorem: Assume there is a point \(P\in M\), \(\nu>2\), and \(C_0>0\) so that for any \(t\geq s>0\), \({{V(P,t)}\over{V(P,s)}}\geq C_0({t\over s})^\nu\). Then \(M\) satisfies a weighted Sobolev inequality and a Hardy inequality for any smooth function \(f\) with compact support of the form for \(S=S(n,C_0,\nu)\) and \(H=H(n,C_0,\nu)\): \[ \left(\int_M|f|^{2n\over n-2 }\rho_P(r_P)^{-{2\over n-2}}\right)^{1-{2\over n}} \leq S\int_M|df|^2\qquad\text{and}\qquad \int_M|f|^2|r_P^{-2}\leq H\int_M|df|^2\,. \] This enables the author to draw useful geometric consequences concerning Ricci flat manifolds and to obtain some interesting results in \(L^2\) cohomology.