Null-projectability of Levi-Civita connections (Q6045118)

A torsion-free connection \(\nabla\) on a manifold \(M\) is called \({\mathcal V}\)-projectable for an integrable distribution \({\mathcal V}\) on \(M\) if for any \({\mathcal V}\)-projectable local vector fields \(v,w\) the vector field \(\nabla_vw\) is also \({\mathcal V}\)-projectable. Then \(\nabla\) induces local connections on the leaf space \(M/{\mathcal F}\) of the foliation \({\mathcal F}\) corresponding to the distribution \({\mathcal V}\). A theorem by \textit{A. G. Walker} [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 1, 69--79 (1950; Zbl 0036.38303)] provides a local characterization of projectability of the Levi-Civita connection on a pseudo-Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) in the case of a null parallel distribution. The global characterization in that case is less clear. \textit{Z. Afifi} [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 5, 312--320 (1954; Zbl 0057.14002)] proved that if the metric \(g\) is of neutral signature and \({\mathcal V}\) is null of maximal dimension, then the \({\mathcal V}\)-projectability of the connection implies that \(g\) is a Patterson-Walker Riemann extension. The present paper extends this result to metrics of arbitrary signature and null distributions of arbitrary rank.