No label defined (Q4400895)

If \(M\) is an oriented even-dimensional Riemannian manifold, then one can form its twistor space \(Z\to M\). It is a fibration whose fibre over \(x\in M\) is the space of complex structures on the tangent space at \(x\) compatible with the metric and orientation. These fibres are complex. In addition there is a tautologically defined complex structure on the horizontal space at each point \(z\in Z\) induced by that on the tangent space down on \(M\) corresponding to \(z\) itself. In this way, \(Z\) acquires an almost complex structure. In fact, this almost complex structure depends only on the conformal class of the metric on \(M\). When the dimension of \(M\) is 2, then \(Z=M\) and this is the usual complex structure. The most interesting case is when the dimension of \(M\) is 4. In this dimension, the almost complex structure on \(Z\) is integrable if and only if the metric on \(M\) is self-dual [\textit{M. F. Atiyah, N. J. Hitchin} and \textit{I. M. Singer}, Proc. R. Soc. Lond., Ser. A 362, 425-461 (1978; Zbl 0389.53011)]. In higher dimensions, the Weyl tensor is irreducible so that there is no notion of self-duality. The almost complex structure on \(Z\) is integrable if and only if \(M\) is conformally flat. Thus, in this case, the construction reduces to that for the sphere with its standard conformal structure. Its twistor space is a space of pure spinors. This article explains these matters in detail and presents some consequences. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0893.00031].