The geometry of the moduli space of \(CP^ 2\) instantons (Q1114171)

The moduli space \({\mathcal M}\) of self-dual connections (``instantons'') of instanton number \(k=1\) over \({\mathbb{C}}{\mathbb{P}}^ 2\) is topologically a cone on \({\mathbb{C}}{\mathbb{P}}^ 2\). The complement \({\mathcal M}^*\) of the vertex of this cone carries a natural Riemannian metric (the \(``L^ 2\) matric''). We find an explicit formula for this metric and deduce certain consequences. In particular, (i) the boundary \(\partial {\mathcal M}\) is a totally geodesic submanifold of the completion \(\bar {\mathcal M}^*\), (ii) \({\mathcal M}\) is positively curved at \(\partial {\mathcal M}\), and (iii) \({\mathcal M}\) is negatively curved in certain directions near the vertex of the cone.