Concordances of metrics of positive scalar curvature (Q1314928)

Spaces of metrics of positive scalar curvature are studied modulo a concordance relation. It is shown that the set of concordance classes of metrics with positive scalar curvature on a closed manifold of dimension \(\geq 6\) depends only on the dimension, the first Stiefel-Whitney class of the manifold, and the cokernel of a homomorphism \(\pi_ 2(M^ n)\to \widetilde{KO}(S^ 2)\). In addition, for every nonnegative integer \(i\) the \(i\)th concordance group of metrics of positive scalar curvature is defined and it is shown that for a spin manifold the group is nontrivial when \(n+i = 4k + 3\), \(8k\), \(8k + 1\), \(k \geq 1\).