Exceptional holonomy on vector bundles with two-dimensional fibers (Q2256833)

Following the constructions on stable forms presented in [\textit{N. Hitchin}, Contemp. Math. 288, 70--89 (2001; Zbl 1004.53034)] and [\textit{R. Bielawski}, Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 132, No. 3, 471--479 (2002; Zbl 1024.53047)], the author studies the problem of how to extend a geometric structure on an \((n-1)\)-dimensional manifold to a manifold of dimension \(n\) with special holonomy. First, the author gives an introduction and a motivation for \(G\)-structures and Hitchin's flow equation (their relation to metrics with special holonomy). An \(\mathrm{SU}(3)\)- or \(\mathrm{SU}(1,2)\)-structure on a \(6\)-dimensional manifold \(N^6\) can be defined as a pair of a \(2\)-form \(\omega\) and a \(3\)-form \(\rho\). Any analytic \(\mathrm{SU}(3)\)- or \(\mathrm{SU}(1,2)\)-structure on \(N^6\) with \(d\omega\wedge \omega = 0\) can be extended to a parallel \(\mathrm{Spin}(7)\)- or \(\mathrm{Spin}_0(3,4)\)-structure defined on the trivial disc bundle \(N^6 \times B(0,\varepsilon)\) for a sufficiently small positive \(\varepsilon\). The author also gives an example showing that the given solution can be non-unique. Finally he discusses the problem of generalization of the result to non-trivial bundles over \(6\)-dimensional manifolds.