Critical metrics of the scalar curvature functional satisfying a vanishing condition on the Weyl tensor (Q2362768)

For compact oriented manifolds \(M^n\), the Einstein-Hilbert functional \({\mathcal S}(g)\) is defined on the space of Riemannian metrics \(\mathcal M\) of unit volume as the integral of the scalar curvature \(R_g\), \(g\in{\mathcal M}\). It is very well known that the critical points of \(\mathcal S\) are the Einstein metrics. Taking into account that there is a constant scalar curvature metric in every conformal class of metrics on \(M^n\), it is natural to consider the smaller, but still infinite dimensional set \({\mathcal C}=\{g\in{\mathcal M}: R_g \text{ is constant}\}\) and it is conjectured that for \(\mathcal S\) restricted to \(\mathcal C\), the critical points are still the Einstein metrics. The critical point condition (Euler-Lagrange equations) for \(\mathcal S\) restricted to \(\mathcal C\) is \[ \mathrm{Ric}_g-{R_g\over n}g=\mathrm{Hess}_gf-\Big(\mathrm{Ric}_g-{R_g\over n-1}g\Big)f \] where \(f\) is a smooth function on \(M^n\). A \textit{CPE metric} is a triple \((M^n,g,f)\), where \((M^n,g)\) is a compact oriented Riemannian manifold with constant scalar curvature while \(f\) is a smooth potential function satisfying the above critical point condition. Noting the second order divergence of the Weyl tensor, \(\operatorname{div}^2W=W_{ijkl,ik}\), the author proves that for a manifold of dimension \(n\geq 4\) and a CPE metric with \(\operatorname{div}^2W=0\), the conjecture is true, i.e. \((M^n,g)\) is Einstein. The proof involves proving an integral formula for \(\int_M(f+1)^2|C|^2\) where \(C\) is the Cotton tensor and that \(\operatorname{div}^2W=0\) implies that \(\operatorname{div}C=0\). These imply that \(C=0\) and hence that the Weyl tensor if harmonic. Then, work of \textit{S. Hwang} et al. [Math. Nachr. 283, No. 6, 846--853 (2010; Zbl 1198.53065)] is applied to show that \((M^n,g)\), isometric to a round sphere.