Monotonicity formula and small action regularity for Yang-Mills flows in higher dimensions (Q1344086)

Let \(M\) be an \(n\)-dimensional \((n > 4)\) compact Riemannian manifold with metric \(g\) and let \(P(M,G)\) be a principal bundle with a simple compact Lie group \(G\). The heat flow of the Yang-Mills connections in \(P(M,G)\) is the solution \(A = A(t)\) of the initial value problem \(\partial A/ \partial t = -2D^*_ A F_ A\), \(A(0) = A_ 0\), where \(F_ A\) and \(D_ A\) are the curvature and gauge-covariant differentiation corresponding to the connection \(A = A(t)\) in \(P(M,G)\), and \(D^*_ A\) the adjoint operator of \(D_ A\) with respect to the Riemannian metric on \(M\) and the Cartan-Killing inner product on \(G\). The monotonicity formula and the small action regularity theorem obtained by \textit{M. Struwe} [J. Differ. Geom. 28, No. 3, 485-502 (1988; Zbl 0655.58013)] are established for regular heat flows of Yang-Mills connections in the situation described above.