On solutions to equations with partial Ricci curvature (Q478852)

Let \(\mathcal{M}=(M,g)\) be a locally conformally flat manifold of dimension \(n\). Assume given an orthogonal non-trivial splitting of the tangent bundle \(TM=V_1\oplus V_2\). Let \(\{e_i\}\) and \(\{f_j\}\) be local orthonormal frames for \(V_1\) and \(V_2\), respectively. Define the \textit{partial Ricci curvatures} by setting \(\rho_1(X,Y):=R(e_i,X,Y,e_i)\) and \(\rho_2(X,Y):=(f_j,X,Y,f_j)\) where one sums over repeated indices. The author provides conditions for symmetric \((0,2)\)-tensors to admit metrics conformal to \(g\) that solve the partial Ricci equations. He also gives examples related to prescribing the associated mixed scalar curvature. To examine \textit{optimally placed} distributions the author calculates the variations of the total mixed scalar curvature and gives examples concerning the associated minimization of the total energy.