A differential complex for locally conformal calibrated \(G_2\)-manifolds (Q1977660)

A \(G_2\)-manifold \(M\) is a Riemannian 7-manifold with a 3-form \(\varphi\) which is non-degenerate and positive in an appropriate sense. The form \(\varphi\), usually called fundamental 3-form of \(M\), plays an important role in the study of this exceptional geometry, just as the Kähler form does in almost Hermitian geometry. Among the different classes of \(G_2\)-manifolds one can find interesting analogs of some classes of almost Hermitian manifolds. For instance, the authors of this paper investigated in [Geom. Dedicata 70, 57-86 1998; Zbl 0901.53019)] the cohomology of a differential complex, defined for any cocalibrated \(G_2\)-manifold, which measures the infinitesimal deformations of generalized instantons in the sense of \textit{R. Reyes Cartion} [Differ. Geom. Appl. 8, 1-20 (1998; Zbl 0902.53036)], and which shares some properties with the Dolbeault complex of Hermitian manifolds. The present paper deals with \(G_2\)-manifolds that are locally conformally equivalent to a calibratcd one. These manifolds are characterized as those \(G_2\)-manifolds \(M\) for which the space of differential forms annihilated by the fundamental 3-form of \(M\) becomes a differential subcomplex of de Rham's complex. This subcomplex is a \(G_2\) analog of the coeffective complex introduced in the context of symplectic geometry [\textit{T. Bouché}, Bull. Sci. Math., II. Ser. 114, 115-122 (1990; Zbl 0714.58001)]. Special properties of the cohomology of the \(G_2\)-coeffective complex are exhibited in the case of \(M\) being calibrated, and when the holonomy group of \(M\) can be reduced to a subgroup of \(G_2\). It is also proved a theorem of Nomizu type for this cohomology, which permits its computation for a large family of compact calibrated \(G_2\)-nilmanifolds.