Global existence and convergence of Yamabe flow (Q1324786)

Let \((M^n,g)\) be closed, \(n \geq 3\), \(R_g\) the scalar curvature of \(g\), \([g_0]\) the conformal class of \(g_0\), \(S(g) = (\text{vol} (g))^{- (n - 2)/n} \int_M R_g d \text{vol} (g)\) and \(s_g = (\text{vol} (g))^{-1} \int_M R_g d \text{vol} (g)\). The negative gradient flow of \(S\) is given by \(\partial g/ \partial t = (n - 2) (2n)^{-1} (\text{vol} (g))^{-1} (s_g - R_g) g \), after rescaling the time \(\partial g/ \partial t = (s_g - R_g) g = (s - R) g\). This is the Yamabe flow. The author calls \([g_0]\) scalar positive, scalar negative, or scalar flat, if \([g_0]\) contains a metric of positive, negative or identically zero scalar curvature, respectively. Theorem 1. Assume \([g_0]\) is scalar positive. Assume in addition that \((M, g_0)\) is locally conformally flat. Then for any given initial metric in \([g_0]\), the Yamabe flow has a unique smooth solution on the time interval \([0, \infty[\). Moreover, the solution metric \(g\) converges smoothly to a unique limit metric of constant scalar curvature as \(t \to \infty\). Theorem 2. Assume that \([g_0]\) is either scalar negative or scalar flat. Then for any given initial metric in \([g_0]\), the solution of the Yamabe flow exists for all times and converges smoothly to a unique limit metric of constant scalar curvature at an exponential rate as \(t \to \infty\). Theorem 3. For any given initial metric, the Yamabe flow has a unique smooth solution on the time interval \([0, \infty[\). The proof of Theorem 1 is based on a Harnack inequality, Theorem 2 essentially uses the maximum principle.