\(S^1\)-invariant Laplacian flow (Q2061530)

A \(G_2\)-structure on a 7-manifold \(M\) is defined by a stable 3-form \(\varphi\) giving rise to a Riemannian metric \(g_{\varphi}\) and a volume form \(dV_{\varphi}\). Let \(M\) be a 7-manifold endowed with a closed \(G_2\)-structure \(\varphi_0\), i.e., such that \(d \varphi_0 = 0\). The Laplacian flow starting from \(\varphi_0\) is the initial value problem \[ \left \{ \begin{array}{l} \frac{\partial} {\partial t} \varphi (t) = \Delta_{\varphi (t)} \varphi(t),\\ d \varphi(t) =0,\\ \varphi(0) = \varphi_0, \end{array} \right. \] where \(\Delta_{\varphi (t)}\) denotes the Hodge Laplacian of the Riemannian metric \(g_{\varphi(t)}\) induced by \(\varphi(t)\). This geometric flow was introduced by Bryant for finding torsion free \(G_2\)-structures on compact manifolds. If the flow is invariant under a free \(S^1\)-action, then it descends to a flow of a symplectic \(\operatorname{SU}(3)\)-structure on a 6-manifold, together with the data of a Higgs field and a connection \(1\)-form. In the paper the author studies the evolution equations for such data when \(\varphi\) is evolving by the Laplacian flow. In particular, he proves a Gibbons-Hawking type construction for \(S^1\)-invariant closed \(G_2\)-structures and finds an expression of the intrinsic torsion of the \(G_2\)-structure in terms of that of the \(\operatorname{SU}(3)\)-structure. Moreover, he constructs the first examples of inhomogeneous shrinking solitons, which are also gradient. Finally, he proves that any compact non-torsion free soliton admits no infinitesimal symmetry.