On the Godbillon-Vey invariant of transversely parallelizable foliations (Q2668995)

The work enhances the concept of Godbillon-Vey classes of foliations, to a non-integrable and a variational framework. Let \(M\) be a \((2q+1)\)-dimensional smooth manifold, equipped with a \((q + 1)\)-dimensional, a priori non-integrable, distribution \(\mathcal{D}\) and a \(q\)-vector field \(\mathbf{T} = T_1 \wedge \ldots \wedge T_q\), where \(\{T_i\}\) are linearly independent vector fields transverse to \(\mathcal{D}\). Using a \(q\)--form \(\omega\) such that \(\mathcal{D} = \hbox{ker} (\omega)\) \, and \(\omega (\mathbf{T}) = 1\), the authors construct a \((2q+1)\)-form analogous to that defining the generalized Godbillon-Vey class of a foliation of codimension \(q\). They show how this form does depend on \(\omega\) and \(\mathbf{T}\). Moreover, for a compatible Riemannian metric \(g\) on \(M\), the authors express this \((2q + 1)\)-form in terms of \(\mathbf{T}\), and the extrinsic geometry of \(\mathcal{D}\) and its normal distribution \(\mathcal{D}^\perp\). Suitable Euler-Lagrange equations of the associated functionals on a closed manifold are constructed, for a variable pair \((\omega,\mathbf{T})\) on \((M, g)\) and for a variable metric on \((M, \mathcal{D})\). The work studies harmonic distributions \(\mathcal{D}^\perp\) such that \((\omega, \mathbf{T})\) is critical, characterize critical pairs when \(\mathcal{D}\) is integrable, and find sufficient conditions for critical pairs when variations are among foliations. The authors also calculate the index form and consider examples of critical foliations among twisted products. In particular, the present work extends the study in [the first author et al., Complex Anal. Oper. Theory 13, No. 6, 2917--2937 (2019Z; bl 1435.53025)].