A GJMS construction for 2-tensors and the second variation of the total \(Q\)-curvature (Q354596)

A series of conformally invariant differential operators acting on weighted trace-free symmetric 2-tensors are constructed by a method similar to that of GJMS (Graham, Jenne, Mason, Sparling). For compact conformal manifolds of dimension even and greater than or equal to four with vanishing ambient obstruction tensor, one of these operators is used to describe the second variation of the total \(Q\)-curvature. An explicit formula for conformally Einstein manifolds is given in terms of the Lichnerowicz Laplacian of an Einstein representative metric. See also [\textit{C. R. Graham} et al., J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 46, No. 3, 557--565 (1992; Zbl 0726.53010); \textit{T. Branson} and \textit{A. R. Gover}, Commun. Partial Differ. Equations 30, No. 10--12, 1611--1669 (2005; Zbl 1226.58011); \textit{C. Fefferman} and \textit{C. R. Graham}, The ambient metric. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press (2012; Zbl 1243.53004)].