Almost nonpositively curved manifolds (Q1173921)

Let \(\mu(n,D)\) be the family of compact \(n\)-dimensional Riemannian manifolds with diameter \(d(M)\leq D\) and curvature \(K(M)\geq -1\). It is shown that there is a number \(\varepsilon(n,D)>0\) such that every \(M\in \mu(n,D)\) with \(K(M)<\varepsilon(n,D)\) has \(\mathbb{R}^ n\) as its universal covering. For this the authors consider a sequence \(\{M_ i\}\subset\mu(n,D)\) such that \(K(M_ i)\leq i^{-2}\). They show that a subsequence converges with respect to the Hausdorff topology to a nonpositively curved orbifold. They conclude that every \(M\in\mu(n,D)\) with \(K(M)<\varepsilon(n,D)\) fibres over a non-positively curved orbifold with typical fibre \(H/\Lambda\) where \(H\) is a nilpotent Lie group, \(\Lambda\subset\Pi\times\text{Aut}(\Pi)\) is discrete and \([\Lambda: \Lambda\cap\Pi]<\infty\). As a consequence, every \(M\in\mu(n,D)\) with \(K(M)<\varepsilon(n,D)\) admits for every \(\varepsilon > 0\) a Riemannian metric \(g_ \varepsilon\) such that \((M,g_ \varepsilon)\in\mu(n,D)\) and \(K(M,g_ \varepsilon)<\varepsilon\). If \(\pi_ 1(M)\) is solvable, then \(M\) is diffeomorphic to \(H/\Lambda\).