Bifurcation and local rigidity of homogeneous solutions to the Yamabe problem on spheres (Q353116)

Let \(g\) be a homogeneous metric on the sphere \(S^m\) of dimension \(m\). Such metrics were classified by \textit{W. Ziller} [Math. Ann. 259, 351--358 (1982; Zbl 0469.53043)]. They arise as a Kaluza-Klein construction that deforms the round metric by scaling it in the direction of the fibers of a Hopf vibration; there are three families \[ S^1\rightarrow S^{2n+1}\rightarrow\mathbb CP^n,\quad S^3\rightarrow S^{4n+3}\rightarrow\mathbb HP^n,\quad S^7\rightarrow S^{15}\rightarrow S^8(1/2)\,. \] The authors study these three families in detail and examine the existence and non-existence of constant scalar curvature metrics which are conformal and arbitrarily close to such metrics thereby describing all critical points of the Hilbert-Einstein functional on conformal classes near homogeneous metrics. Both bifurcation and local rigidity type phenomena arise in the latter two families; the first family is locally rigid.