Volume minimization and obstructions to solving some problems in Kähler geometry (Q2317022)

From the introduction: ``The existence of a Kähler-Einstein metric on a compact complex manifold \(M\) has been known since 1970's in the case when \(c_1(M)<0\) by \textit{T. Aubin} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. A 283, 119--121 (1976; Zbl 0333.53040)] and \textit{S.-T. Yau} [Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 31, 339--411 (1978; Zbl 0369.53059)] where the Kähler class is the canonical class \(K_M\), and in the case when \(c_1(M)=0\) by Yau where the Kähler class is an arbitrary positive \((1,1)\)-class. In the remaining case when \(c_1(M)>0\), i.e., in the case when \(M\) is a Fano manifold, the existence of a Kähler-Einstein metric is characterized by a condition called the \(K\)-stability by the recent works of \textit{X. Chen} et al. [J. Am. Math. Soc. 28, No. 1, 235--278 (2015; Zbl 1311.53059)] and \textit{G. Tian} [Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 68, No. 7, 1085--1156 (2015; Zbl 1318.14038)]. The \(K\)-stability is a condition in geometric invariant theory where the GIT weight, called the Donaldson-Futaki invariant, is defined extending an obstruction, now called the classical Futaki invariant.'' The present survey paper considers such extended obstructions to the existence problem of Kähler-Ricci solitons, Sasaki-Einstein metrics and (conformally) Einstein-Maxwell Kähler metrics. These three cases have a common feature that the obstructions are parametrized by a space of vector fields.