Nonnegatively curved metrics on \(S^{2}\times {\mathbb R}^{2}\) (Q1406015)

Let \(N^{n+k}\) be an open manifold of nonnegative sectional curvature. By the soul theorem, \(N^{n+k}\) is diffeomorphic to the total space of the normal bundle of a compact totally geodesic submanifold \(M^n\) of \(N^{n+k}\) for \(n+ k\leq 3\). The metrics of nonnegative sectional curvature on \(N^{n+k}\) have been completely classified in [\textit{S. Cheeger} and \textit{D. Gromoll}, Ann. Math. 96, 413-443 (1972; Zbl 0246.53049)], while the classification problem remains open in all the other cases. In the paper under review, the authors deal with the case \(n= k= 2\) when \(M= S^2\). If the natural metric of nonnegative curvature on a nontrivial \(\mathbb{R}^2\) bundle over \(S^2\) is considered, the metric of the soul and the connection on the normal bundle can both be perturbed, yet preserving nonnegativeness of the curvature. On the other hand, nonnegatively curved metrics on the trivial bundle \(S^2\times \mathbb{R}^2\) turn out to be very rigid. In fact, \(M^2\times \mathbb{R}^2\), equipped with an arbitrary complete metric of nonnegative curvature, is proved to be isometric to a Riemannian product \(((M^2,g_0)\times (\mathbb{R}^2, g_f))/\mathbb{R}\), where \(\mathbb{R}\) acts diagonally on the product by the flow along Killing fields on \((M^2,g_0)\) and \((\mathbb{R}^0,g_f)\) and by translations on \(\mathbb{R}\).