Half-flat nilmanifolds (Q537861)

An \(SU(3)\)-structure on a manifold of real dimension \(6\) consists of a Hermitian structure \(( g,J, \omega)\) and a unit \((3,0)\)-form \(\Psi\). It is half-flat if \(d\omega \wedge \omega =0\) and \(d(\Re\Psi) =0\). Compact examples are provided by left-invariant structures on nilpotent Lie groups. The Lie group associated to a six-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebra has a uniform discrete subgroup giving rise to a compact quotient called nilmanifold. An \(SU(3)\)-structure on a Lie algebra determines an invariant \(SU(3)\)-structure on the associated nilmanifold, and vice versa. The author gives a complete classification of nilpotent Lie algebras that admit a half-flat structure. For \(24\) out of \(34\) equivalence classes of algebras, he gives explicit examples of a half-flat structure. Then, he proves that the remaining algebras do not admit a half-flat structure by introducing a special cohomogical obstruction working also for non-nilpotent algebras.