Cohomogeneity one manifolds of spin(7) and \(G_{2}\) holonomy (Q1867580)

This paper describes an investigation of metrics with Spin(7) and \(G_2\)-holonomy on non-compact manifolds of the form \(M\times (a,b)\), where \(M\) is a compact (seven or eight dimensional) manifold and \((a,b)\) is an interval in \(\mathbb R\). In the Spin(7) case the authors study two types of examples: (1) in which \(M\) is \(S^7\) viewed as an \(S^3\) (or \(SU(2)\)) bundle over \(S^4\), and (2) in which \(M\) is an Aloff-Wallach space \(N(k,l)\), i.e. a homogeneous space \(SU(3)/(U(1)\times U(1))\) where \((k,l)\) labels the embedding of \(U(1)\times U(1)\). For the construction of \(G_2\) metrics they consider the cases where \(M\) is a flag manifold \(SU(3)/(U(1)\times U(1))\), \({\mathbb C}P^3\), or \(S^3\times S^3\). In all cases, the methods depend on the selection of a good ansatz for a metric on \(M\); the Lie group structure and special geometry of the manifolds \(M\) play a key role. Having chosen the ansatz, the condition for the metric on \(M\times (a,b)\) to have the required holonomy is reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations. In the case where \(M\) is \(S^7\), their results are based upon their preprint [New cohomogeneity one metrics with holonomy Spin(7), math.DG/0105119]. Here they use a more general form of their earlier ansatz. This results in a system of ODE's which is more general and thus more difficult to solve than the one obtained in their earlier work. Instead of giving exact solutions, the authors explore the system using Taylor expansions and numerical methods. In this case, and also in the case \(M=N(k,l)\) (where similar non-exact methods are used), the authors find evidence for new classes of Spin(7)-metrics. While only passing reference is made in the paper, it is interesting to compare the methods of this paper to those developed by \textit{N. Hitchin} [Stable forms and special metrics, Contemp. Math. 288, 70-89 (2001; Zbl 1004.53034), see also math.DG/0107101]. In Hitchin's construction Spin(7) and \(G_2\) metrics on \(M\times (a,b)\) are obtained from evolution equations on \(M\), with the evolution equations coming from constrained variational problems on spaces of so-called stable differential forms. In particular, for the case \(M=S^7\), Hitchin's method produces a system of equations which, he showed, reduces in one special case to the set derived by Cvetic et al. in [math.DG/0105119]. With the new generalized ansatz used in this paper, the authors recover the full set of Hitchin's equations.