Conformal invariants of manifolds of non-positive scalar curvature (Q1360960)

Let \((M,g)\) be a complete \(n\)-dimensional manifold, \(S_g\) its scalar curvature and \(B_R\) the open ball on \(M\) of center \(x_0\) and radius \(R\). By \(Q(M,g)\) is denoted the conformal invariant studied in association with the Yamabe problem (see \textit{J. M. Lee} and \textit{T. H. Parker} [Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 17, 37-91 (1987; Zbl 0633.53062)]). In the present paper, the main result obtained in the non-compact case, is the following. If \(n\geq 3\), \(S_g\leq 0\) and there exist positive constants \(C\) and \(\alpha\in(0, n/2)\) such that \(\text{vol}(B_R)\leq CR^\alpha\) for all \(R\) large, then \(Q(M,g)\leq 0\). As corollary, if \(n\geq 3\), \(S_g\leq 0\) and \(\text{vol}(M,g)\) is finite, then \(Q(M,g)\leq 0\). In the compact case, the author, assuming \(g\) conformally flat with \(n\geq 3\) and \(S_g\leq 0\), proves: (a) if \(\pi_1(M)\) does not have exponential growth, then \(S_g=0\); (b) if \(\pi_1(M)\) is almost solvable, then \(g\) is flat; (c) if \(M\) is also orientable, \(n=4,6\), the Euler-Poincaré characteristic \(\chi(M)=0\) and \(\pi_1(M)\) does not have exponential growth, then \(g\) is flat. The reviewer [\textit{D. Perrone}, Note Mat. 3, 173-181 (1983; Zbl 0578.53033)] proved that \(\chi(M)=0\) is a necessary condition in order for a compact orientable six-dimensional manifold \(M\) to admit a conformally flat metric \(g\) with \(S_g=0\).