Cartan normal conformal connections from differential equations (Q4786845)

The authors explore and show a natural relationship between all third-order ordinary differential equations that possess a vanishing Wunschmann invariant, with conformal metrics on 3-manifolds and Cartan's normal \(O(3,2)\) conformal connections. The existence and construction of a three-dimensional Lorentzian conformal metric on the solution space is described and some properties of the derivatives arising from the connection are discussed. A few special cases of three arbitrary functions (a Weyl 1-form) arising in the connection are briefly mentioned. The curvature 2-forms are first introduced. It is shown that the ordinary curvature of the Weyl geometry decomposes in a non-standard manner; the Ricci part into a unique 1-form and a new curvature (the first Cartan curvature), which in general is trace-free but in this three-dimensional case vanishes. This leads to the introduction of a further (a second Cartan) curvature 2-form and the realization that the authors are dealing with a Cartan normal \(O(3,2)\) conformal connection. In other words, third-order ODEs, satisfying the Wunschmann condition, encode an entire \(O(3,2)\) conformal connection on the solution space. Finally, it is discussed how this extends to pairs of second-order PDEs and an \(O(4,2)\) conformal connection on the four-dimensional solution space and its relationship to twistor theory.