Instability and nonexistence theorems for \(F\)-harmonic maps (Q5954270)

The author considers a nonnegative valued strictly increasing \(C^2\) function \(F\) on \([0,\infty)\), define the \(F\)-energy for a smooth map \(\varphi: (M,g) \to (N,h)\) by \(E_F(\varphi)=\int_M F(|d\varphi|^2/2)v_g,\) where \(v_g\) is the volum element of \(g\). Critical mappings of \(E_F\) are called \(F\)-harmonic maps. Roughly speaking, \(F\)-harmonic map is \(F\)-stable if the second variation of the \(F\)-energy is nonnegative, and \(F\)-unstable otherwise. In particular, a compact Riemannian manifold \(M\) is \(F\)-unstable if the identity map is \(F\)-unstable, and \(F\)-strong unstable if \(M\) is neither a domain nor a target of any nonconstant stable \(F\)-stable map. In this paper under review , the first main result is: Let \(F\) be a strictly increasing \(C^2\) function satisfying: \(mF''(m/2)+(2-m)F'(m/2)\geq 0\), then every \(m\)-dimensional Riemannian manifold \(M\) is \(F\)-stable (see Theorem 3.1). Then the author gives another \(F\)-stability theorem: Assume \(F\) is \(C^2\) and strictly increasing and convex. Then every compact Riemannian manifold of constant curvature, except the standard sphere \(S^m\), \(m\geq 3\), is \(F\)-stable (see Theorem 3.7).