Triharmonic Riemannian submersions from 3-dimensional space forms (Q2035020)

\(k\)-polyharmonic maps, as a generalization of harmonic maps, are maps between Riermannian manifolds which are critical points of the \(k\) energy \(\frac{1}{2}\int_M |(d+\delta)^k\phi|^2dv_g\). \(k\)-polyharmonic maps for \(k=2, 3\) are called biharmonic and triharmonic maps respectively. Harmonic maps are always biharmonic and triharmonic but a biharmonic map need not be triharmonic. For some recent study and progress on biharmonic maps and biharmonic submanifolds see a recent book [\textit{Y.-L. Ou} and \textit{B.-Y. Chen}, Biharmonic submanifolds and biharmonic maps in Riemannian geometry. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific (2020; Zbl 1455.53002)] and the references therein. For biharmonic Riemannian submersions, it was proved in [\textit{Z.-P. Wang} and \textit{Y.-L. Ou}, Math. Z. 269, No. 3--4, 917--925 (2011; Zbl 1235.53065)] that any biharmonic Riemannian submersion from a \(3\)-dimensional space form onto a surface is harmonic. The paper under review proves that this result can be generalized to the cases of triharmonic Riemannian submersions and \(f\)-biharmonic Riemannian submersions.