Finite group actions on the moduli space of self-dual connections. II (Q1812916)

[For Part I see Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 323, No. 1, 233-261 (1991; Zbl 0724.57013).] Let \(M\) be a smooth, compact, oriented Riemannian 4-manifold. The moduli spaces of self-dual connections over \(M\) have been studied by a number of authors, in particular it has been shown by Uhlenbeck [\textit{D. S. Freed} and \textit{K. K. Uhlenbeck}, Instantons and four manifolds (1984; Zbl 0559.57001)] that for generic metrics on \(M\) the part of the moduli space which represents irreducible connections is a smooth manifold (at least for non-trivial \(SU(2)\) bundles). In this paper the author studies the corresponding question in the case when a finite group \(G\) acts on \(M\) and one restricts attention to invariant metrics. The group \(G\) then acts naturally on the moduli space. In a previous work the author has developed an obstruction theory for this equivariant transversality problem, working within the framework of the Smale-Sard theorem for Fredholm mappings. The earlier paper showed that there was an equivariant perturbation of the self-duality equations for which the moduli space is smooth. The main result of the present paper, for variations of metric, is that if \(G\) is cyclic of order \(2^{n}\) then there is a dense set of invariant metrics for which the moduli space is smooth in a neighbourhood of the subset of points fixed under the induced \(G\)-action. The proof follows the general plan of Uhlenbeck's argument.