A note on existence and non-existence of horizons in some asymptotically flat 3-manifolds (Q2459325)

The conformal invariant of \((S^3, [g])\) is defined by \[ Y(S^3, [g]) = \inf_{\widetilde g \in [g]} \frac{1}{\text{vol}(S^3,\widetilde g)^{\frac{1}{3}}} \int_{S^3} \widetilde s \, dv_{\widetilde g}. \] If \(Y(S^3, [g])> 0\), there exists a positive Green function \(G\) of the conformal Laplacian \(L= 8 \Delta_g - s_g\) at any point \(p\in S^3\) and it is well-known that \((S^3 -\{p\}, G^4g)\) is an asymptotically flat manifold with zero scalar curvature. The author proves that if \(\text{Ric}(g) \geq 2 g\) and the volume of \((S^3, g)\) is not less than one half of the volume of the standard unit sphere, then there are no closed minimal surfaces in \((S^3 -\{p\}, G^4g)\). In general relativity, the asymptotic flat manifold \((S^3 -\{p\}, G^4g)\) is an initial data in a vacuum space-time and a minimal surface corresponds to an apparent horizon. The proof of the main result depends on some well-known inequalities. The first is due to [\textit{P. Guan} and \textit{G. Wang}, Am. J. Math. 129, 499--526 (2007; Zbl 1143.53033)] which says \[ Y(M^n, [g]) \geq n(n-1)\sup_{\tilde g \in [g]}\{\text{Vol}(M,\tilde g)\mid \text{Ric}(\tilde g) \geq (n-1)\tilde g\}^{\frac{2}{n}}. \] The second and third inequalities which are needed to prove the main result are due to [\textit{H. L. Bray} and \textit{A. Neves}, Ann. Math. (2) 159, No. 1, 407--424 (2004); corrigendum ibid 159, No. 2, 887 (2004; Zbl 1066.53077)]. In fact, one has \[ Y(S^3, [g]) = 8 S(G^4g), \] where \(S(G^4g)\) is the Sobolev constant of the asymptotically flat manifold \((S^3 -\{p\}, G^4g)\) and \[ S(G^4g) < \tfrac{1}{8} Y({\mathbb R}{\mathbb P}^3, [g_0]) \] if \((S^3 -\{p\}, G^4g)\) has nonnegative scalar curvature and has a closed minimal surface. The author also constructs an example of \((S^3, g)\) where \(\text{Ric}(g) >0\) but \((S^3 -\{p\}, G^4g)\) has closed minimal surfaces.