The prescribed Chern scalar curvature problem (Q2131350)

In the present paper, the author addresses the prescribed Chern scalar curvature problem. Such problem can be seen as the Hermitian analogue of the classical Riemannian problem of prescribed scalar curvature, indeed it consists in proving the existence of a Hermitian metric on a complex manifold such that its scalar curvature with respect to the Chern connection, coincides with a fixed smooth real-valued function. The author investigates specifically the possibility of finding solutions within the conformal class of a Hermitian metric \(\omega\) fixed on a connected and compact complex manifold \(M\) with complex dimension \(n\geq 2\). Some preliminary considerations suggest a division of the problem into three cases according to the sign of the Gauduchon degree \(\Gamma(\{\omega\})\) of the conformal class \(\{\omega\}\). We recall that, when \((M,\omega)\) is a compact Hermitian manifold with complex dimension at least 2, there exists one and only one Gauduchon metric \(\eta\in\{\omega\}\) with volume 1. The Gauduchon degree of the conformal class of \(\omega\) is defined as \(\Gamma(\{\omega\})=\int_M S(\eta)\frac{\eta^n}{n!}\), where \( S(\eta)\) is the Chern scalar curvature of \(\eta\). The analysis of these three cases respectively leads to the following main results: if \(\Gamma(\{\omega\})<0\), then for each non-identically zero and non-positive function \(f\in C^\infty(M,\mathbb{R})\), there exists one and only one metric conformal to \(\omega\) whose Chern scalar curvature is equal to \(f\). If there exists a balanced metric \(\omega\), i.e. such that \(d\omega^{n-1}=0\), with zero Chern scalar curvature, then every smooth function \(f\in C^\infty(M,\mathbb{R})\) changing sign on \(M\) and with negative mean value, is the Chern scalar curvature of a metric conformal to \(\omega\). Finally, when \(\Gamma(\{\omega\})>0\), a necessary condition and a local result are proved.