A compact \(\mathrm G_2\)-calibrated manifold with first Betti number \(b_1 = 1\) (Q2656135)

The authors construct a compact formal 7-manifold with a closed \(\mathrm{G}_2\)-structure and with first Betti number \(b_1 = 1\) not admitting any torsion-free \(\mathrm{G}_2\)-structure. This manifold is not a product. To construct such a manifold, they start with a compact 7-manifold \(M\) equipped with a closed \(\mathrm{G}_2\) form \(\varphi\) and with first Betti number \(b_1(M) = 3\). In fact \(M\) is a nilmanifold, that is, the coset space of a nilpotent Lie group by a cocompact lattice. Then they quotient \(M\) by \(\mathbb Z_2\) preserving \(\varphi\) to obtain an orbifold \(\widehat{M}\) with a closed orbifold \(\mathrm{G}_2\) form \(\widehat{\varphi}\) and with first Betti number \(b_1(\widehat{M}) = 1\). The authors resolve the singularities of the 7-orbifold \(\widehat{M}\) to produce a smooth 7-manifold \(\widetilde{M}\) with a closed \(\mathrm{G}_2\) form \(\widetilde{\varphi}\), with first Betti number \(b_1(\widetilde{M}) = 1\) and such that \((\widetilde{M},\widetilde{\varphi})\) is isomorphic to \((\widehat{M},\widehat{\varphi})\) outside the singular locus of \(\widehat{M}\). Then they prove the properties following: the 7-manifold \(\widetilde{M}\) is formal, with fundamental group \(\pi_1(\widetilde{M}) = \mathbb Z\) and \(\widetilde{M}\) does not admit any torsion-free \(\mathrm{G}_2\)-structure. For the compact 7-manifold \(M\) with the closed \(\mathrm{G}_2\) form \(\varphi\) mentioned above, the authors consider a non-trivial involution of \(M\) preserving \(\varphi\), and they construct an example of a 3-dimensional family of associative volume-minimizing 3-tori in \(\widetilde{M}\). This deformation family is ``maximal''. Finally the authors construct a smooth fibration map \(\widetilde{M}\to S^2 \times S^1\) with generic fiber a coassociative torus and some singular fibers, with both smooth and singular fibers forming maximal deformation families.