Stability of the Ricci flow at Ricci-flat metrics (Q1866530)

If \(g\) is a metric whose Ricci flow \(g(t)\) converges, one may ask if the same is true for metrics \(\widetilde g\) that are small perturbations of \(g\). The authors use maximal regularity theory and center manifold analysis to study flat and Ricci-flat metrics. The main result of the paper says that for all metrics \(\widetilde g_0\) in a little-Hölder \(\|\cdot\|_{2+\rho}\) neighborhood \(\mathcal N_{g_0}\) of a flat metric \(g_0\) on a torus \(\mathcal T^n\), the Ricci flow \(\widetilde g(t)\) converges exponentially fast in the \(\|\cdot\|_{2+\rho}\) norm to a flat metric \(\widetilde g_\infty\). The limit metric \(\widetilde g_\infty\) is generally not \(g_0\); however, the set of flat metrics forms a \(n(n + 1)/2\)-dimensional submanifold of the space of all metrics on \(\mathcal T^n\), and the intersection of this submanifold with the neighborhood \(\mathcal N_g\) comprises the center manifold for the Ricci flow dynamical system near \(g_0\). Although center manifolds in dynamical systems are in general not unique, it is a remarkable consequence of this analysis that the center manifold at a flat metric is unique, consisting entirely of equilibria. The proof involves essentially five steps: compute the linearization of the DeTurck flow and analyze its spectrum at a given Ricci-flat metric \(g_0\); verify certain characteristics and properties of the flow that are necessary for the application of maximal regularity results; show the existence of \(C^r\) center manifolds and describe their tangent space at the fixed point \(g_0\); in the flat case, prove there is a unique smooth center manifold present; in the flat case, use the fact that the center manifold consists entirely of flat metrics first to show that exponential approach to the center manifold implies convergence of the DeTurck flow to a unique flat metric, and then to prove that the same is true for the Ricci flow. Ricci flow convergence to a flat metric for any initial metric \(k_0\) sufficiently close to a product geometry on \(\mathcal T^2\times S^1\) or sufficiently close to a polarized Gowdy metric is shown. A slightly weaker stability result for a Kähler-Einstein metric on a \(K3\) manifold is obtained.