Riemann curvature tensor on \(\mathsf{RCD}\) spaces and possible applications (Q2324101)

This brief and very interesting paper builds on the author's previous work on second-order differential calculus for RCD spaces [\textit{N. Gigli}, Nonsmooth differential geometry -- an approach tailored for spaces with Ricci curvature bounded from below. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2018; Zbl 1404.53056)] to define a full Riemann curvature tensor, in what is more or less a distributional sense, on these spaces. The Jacobi identity for Lie brackets is key to establishing the definition. In this paper it is established that for a defined class of `test vector fields' it is possible to take the Lie bracket twice, and the identity is shown in this setting. Since Alexandrov spaces with a lower curvature bound are RCD spaces, this leads to the very natural conjecture that Alexandrov spaces are precisely those RCD spaces with appropriate bounds on their Riemann curvature tensor, which would open up many new techniques in Alexandrov geometry if it were true.