Short-time behaviour of a modified Laplacian coflow of \(G_2\)-structures (Q2437527)

We say that a 7-dimensional manifold \(M\) admits a \(G_2\)-structure if its tangent spaces can be identified with the imaginary octonions in a smoothly varying way. This is similar to the way a Hermitian manifold is one whose tangent spaces can be identified with \(\mathbb{C}^m\) with the Euclidean inner product. More strictly, \(M\) admits a \(G_2\)-structure if the structure group of its frame bundle admits a reduction from \(\mathrm{GL}(7,\mathbb R)\) to the automorphism group \(G_2\) of the octonion algebra (viewed naturally as a subgroup of \(\mathrm{SO}(7,\mathbb R)\)). Such manifolds are characterized by a certain (non-degenerate) 3-form \(\phi\) which determines a Riemannian metric. When \(\phi\) is parallel with respect to the associated Levi-Civita connection, \(M\) is called a \(G_2\)-manifold and is \textit{always} Ricci-flat, thus generalizing the notion of Calabi-Yau manifold. In fact, \(G_2\)-manifolds play the role of compactifications in 11-dimensional \(M\)-theory, much like Calabi-Yau manifolds in 10-dimensional string theory. The article under review is concerned with the problem of finding torsion-free \(G_2\)-structures, consequently whose holonomy is contained in \(G_2\). Building on earlier work by \textit{R. L. Bryant} [in: Proceedings of the 11th and 12th Gökova geometry-topology conferences. Cambridge, MA: International Press. 75--109 (2006; Zbl 1115.53018)], \textit{N. Hitchin} [J. Differ. Geom. 55, No. 3, 547--576 (2000; Zbl 1036.53042)], \textit{R. Bryant} and \textit{F. Xu} [``Laplacian flow for closed \(G_2\)-structures: short time behavior'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1101.2004}], \textit{F. Xu} and \textit{R. Ye} [``Existence, convergence and limit map of the Laplacian flow'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:0912.0074}] and \textit{S. Karigiannis} [Q. J. Math. 60, No. 4, 487--522 (2009; Zbl 1190.53025)], the author approaches the problem by interpolating a co-closed \(G_2\)-structure \(\phi_0\) via the Laplacian co-flow associated with the closed dual 4-form \(\psi\) of the \(G_2\)-structure \(\phi\). It is expected that if a long-time solution exists, it should converge to a torsion-free \(G_2\)-structure. In particular, the author considers a modified version of the Laplacian co-flow. This version is proven to be (weakly) parabolic in the direction of closed forms (up to diffeomorphisms), whence it can be related to a strictly parabolic co-flow which stays in the cohomology class of \(\psi\). This allows to prove short-time existence and uniqueness for this flow. As the author explains in his conclusive remarks, the question of long-term existence of solutions remains open.