A volume comparison theorem for characteristic numbers (Q1979480)

If \((M,g)\) is a \(d\)-dimensional Riemannian manifold, the Chern-Weil homomorphism \(\phi\) carries the \(ad(GL(d,{\mathbb C}))\)-invariant polynomials on \(\mathfrak{gl}(d,\mathbb{C})\) (respectively the \(ad(GL(d,{\mathbb R}))\)-invariant polynomials on \(\mathfrak{gl}(d,\mathbb{R})\)) into the cohomology ring \(H^\ast(M, \mathbb{C})\) (respectively \(H^\ast(M, \mathbb{R})\)). Assuming \(d\) is even, and \(\Pi\) is an invariant polynomial of degree \(d/2\), then \(\phi(\Pi)\) in a cohomology class of degree \(d\). Moreover if \(M\) is compact and oriented, then evaluation of \(\phi(\Pi)\) on the fundamental class of \(M\) is a characteristic number of \(M\) denoted \(\Pi[M]\). Every characteristic number of \(M\) is of this type. \par In this paper the author proves that, given \(\Pi\), \(\iota >0\) and \(\underline\kappa\), there is a constant \(C\) depending on \(\Pi\), \(\iota\), and \(\underline\kappa\) such that for every even \(d\)-dimensional compact, oriented Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) whose Ricci curvature is bounded from below by \(\underline\kappa\) and injectivity radius is bounded from below by \(\iota\), one has \[ |\Pi[M]| \leq C vol(M).\] He also obtains an upper bound on the Betti numbers of a compact oriented Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) in terms of the dimension, lower bounds on the injectivity radius and Ricci curvature, an upper bound on the sectional curvature, and the volume of \(M\).