Ricci curvature of double manifolds via isoparametric foliations (Q2400517)

In the first section of the paper, the authors prove the following theorem. Theorem 1.2. Let \(\xi\) be a Riemannian vector bundle of rank \(n\) with total space \(E\) over a closed Riemannian manifold \((M,ds^2_M)\). Given a connection metric on \(E\), then each sphere bundle \(S_r(\xi)\) of radius \(r>0\) is an isoparametric hypersurface in \(E\). Moreover, assume that \((M,ds^2_M)\) has positive Ricci curvature and \(n\geq 3\). Then, for sufficiently small \(r>0\), the sphere bundle \(S_r(\xi)\) with the induced metric in \(E\) has positive Ricci curvature. Then, as an application, the authors prove the following theorem. Theorem 1.3. Assume \(n\geq 2\), and the closed manifold \(M\) has a metric with positive Ricci curvature. Then the double manifold \(D(\xi,M)\) admits a metric with positive Ricci curvature, and meanwhile a natural isoparametric foliation. Finally, as an important example of this general result, the authors consider in Theorem 1.4 the case of the double manifolds \(D(S^{n+1}_+)\) and \(D(S^{n+1}_-)\) for the manifolds \(S^{n+1}_+\), \(S^{n+1}_-\) obtained by the separation of the unit sphere \(S^{n+1}(1)\) by a compact minimal isoparametric hypersurface \(Y^n\). Here, the authors use and generalize a theorem due to [\textit{Z. Tang} et al., Commun. Anal. Geom. 20, No. 5, 989--1018 (2013; Zbl 1272.53027)].