Prescribed scalar curvature problem on complete manifolds. (Q5932262)

The author considers the problem of finding a complete metric \(g'\) on a complete noncompact Riemannian manifold \((V_n,g)\) of dimension \(n\geq 3\) such that \(g'\) is conformal to \(g\) and has prescribed scalar curvature. Problems of this type have received a great deal of attention. Here the author considers the case that \((V_n,g)\) has positive Yamabe invariant, which includes, for example, asymptotically flat manifolds with positive scalar curvature. The approach is to construct a minimizing sequence for an appropriate variational problem using results obtained by the author [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 326, 1205--1208 (1998; Zbl 0927.58017)] for the compact case, and then to use various assumptions on \((V_n,g)\) and on the prescribed curvature function \(f\) to rule out the occurrence of concentration, both locally and at infinity. As a particular case, the prescribed scalar curvature problem can be solved on complete, noncompact, conformally flat manifolds with positive Yamabe invariant under the assumptions of bounded geometry, together with local conditions at a maximum point of \(f\) and some decay conditions on \(f\).