The sphere theorems for manifolds with positive scalar curvature (Q1943232)

The authors prove two new differentiable sphere theorems using techniques from Ricci flow and stable currents. The first theorem states that if \(M^n\,,\,n\geq 3,\) is a compact smooth manifold whose normalized scalar curvature \(R_0\) and sectional curvature \(K_{\max}\) or \(K_{\min}\) satisfy one of two pointwise pinching conditions, \(R_0 > \sigma_n K_{\max}\) or \(K_{\min} > \eta_n R_0\), where \(\sigma_n, \eta_n \in (\frac{1}{4}, 1)\) are explicit positive rational numbers, then \(M\) is diffeomorphic to a spherical space form. This theorem generalizes a similar result by the authors for manifolds of positive Ricci curvature. It also gives a partial answer to Yau's conjecture on the pointwise pinching theorem. Their second theorem states that if \(M^n\,,\,n\geq 3,\) is a compact smooth manifold whose normalized scalar curvature \(R_0\) and \((n-2)\)-th Ricci curvature \(\mathrm{Ric}^{(n-2)}\) satisfy one of two pointwise pinching conditions, \((n-2) R_0 > \mu_n\mathrm{Ric}^{(n-2)}_{\max}\) or \(\mathrm{Ric}^{(n-2)}_{\min} > \tau_n (n-2) R_0\), where \(\mu_n, \tau_n \in (\frac{1}{4}, 1)\) are explicit positive rational numbers, then \(M\) is diffeomorphic to a spherical space form. The authors then extend these sphere theorems to submanifolds of Riemannian manifolds and provide a classification of submanifolds with weakly pinched curvatures.