Critical values of homology classes of loops and positive curvature (Q2073257)

On a compact and simply-connected Riemannian manifold \((M; g)\) with positive sectional curvature \(K\geq 1\), and a given base point \(p\in M\), the author considers two critical lengths \(\mathrm{crlp} (M; g)\) and \(\mathrm{crl} (M; g)\) (their precise definitions are technical, see p. 142 and the references given there). ``Then \(\mathrm{crlp} (M; g)\) equals the length of a geodesic loop with base point \(p\) and \(\mathrm{crlp} (M; g)\) equals the length of a closed geodesic. [...] The main result of the paper states that the numbers \(\mathrm{crlp} (M; g)\) and \(\mathrm{crl} (M; g)\) attain their maximal value \(2\pi\) only for the round metric on the \(n\)-sphere.'' If, in addition, \(K\leq 4\), the result for \(\mathrm{crl} (M; g)\) ``follows from results by \textit{M. Sugimoto} [Tohoku Math. J. (2) 22, 56--64 (1970; Zbl 0191.52103)] in even dimensions and by \textit{W. Ballmann} et al. [J. Differ. Geom. 18, 221--252 (1983; Zbl 0514.53044)] in odd dimensions.'' The results rely on Morse theory for a functional \(F\) defined on loops \(\gamma : [0,1]\mapsto M\) by \(F(\gamma)=\left(\int_0^1\|\gamma'(t)\|^2dt\right)^{1/2}\); they depend on the solution of the Poincaré conjecture (see Section 5, Point (b)).