On the topology of the space of negatively curved metrics (Q531760)

Let \(M\) be a closed smooth manifold. In their paper [Ann. Math. (2) 170, No.~1, 45--65 (2009; Zbl 1171.58003)], the authors introduced a space \(\mathcal{MET}^{\text{sec}<0}(M)\), which they called the Teichmüller space of negatively curved Riemannian metrics on \(M\), defined as the space of Riemannian metrics on \(M\) with negative sectional curvatures. It is known that, in dimension \(2\), the space \(\mathcal{MET}^{\text{sec}<0}(M^2)\) is contractible. In higher dimensions, the situation is different. The authors prove that for \(n\geq 10\), \(\mathcal{MET}^{\text{sec}<0}(M^n)\) is never path-connected and, in fact, it has infinitely many path-connected components. Moreover, they show that all groups \(\pi_{2p-4}(\mathcal{MET}^{\text{sec}<0}(M^n))\) are non-trivial for every prime number \(p\) with \(2<p < (n+5)/6\). In fact, these groups contain the infinite sum \((\mathbb{Z}_p)^\infty\) of \(\mathbb{Z}_p = \mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}\), and, hence, they are not finitely generated. The restriction on \(n = \dim(M)\) is not optimal; for example, for the latter property, it can be improved to \(p\leq (n-2)/4\). They also show that \(\pi_1(\mathcal{MET}^{\text{sec}<0}(M^n))\) contains the infinite sum \((\mathbb{Z}_2)^\infty\) when \(n \geq 14\). These results about \(\pi_k\) are true for each path component of \(\mathcal{MET}^{\text{sec}<0}(M^n)\), i.e., relative to any base point. This important paper is a continuation of the previous work by the authors, in particular, the paper cited above and the articles [Geom. Funct. Anal. 20, No.~6, 1397--1430 (2010; Zbl 1207.58013); J. Topol. 3, No.~3, 561--577 (2010; Zbl 1201.58007)].