The \(\mathrm{G}_2\) geometry of 3-Sasaki structures (Q6181321)

Contrary to the title, the paper investigates deformations of both the \(G_2\) structure and the Einstein condition of the nearly parallel \(G_2\)-structure that is not \(3\)-Sasakian. Given a 3-Sasaki manifold (M,g) with contact structures \(\eta_i\) and fundamental forms \(\Phi_i\), they study the \(G_2\)-structure \(\varphi=4\eta_1\wedge\eta_2\wedge\eta_3+\sum\eta_i\wedge\Phi_i\), which becomes nearly parallel under rescaling of the Reeb orbits with a factor of \(1/\sqrt{5}\). The main focus of the authors is to compare the infinitesimal \(G_2\)-deformations of \(\varphi\) with the infinitesimal Einstein deformations of the metric \(g_{1/\sqrt{5}}\). Crucially, they observe that the space of essential Einstein deformations is the direct sum over \(E_\lambda=\ker(*d-\lambda)\cup\Omega^3_{27}(\varphi)\) for \(\lambda=\frac{-12}{\sqrt{5}},\frac{6}{\sqrt{5}}\) and \(ker(dd^*-\frac{72}{5})\cap\Omega^3_{27}(\varphi)\), where \(\Omega^3_{27}\) is the 27-dimensional irreducible \(G_2\)-representation. The proof later shows that in fact the latter vanish and only \(E_{-12/\sqrt{5}}\) remains, corresponding to infinitesimal \(G_2\)-deformations. The paper carefully compares the eigenspaces of various auxiliary operators finally relating eigenspaces of the Lichnerowicz Laplacian \(\Delta_L\) to the basic Laplacian \(\Delta_b\) of the characteristic foliation of any 3-Sasaki manifold. This discussion allows the authors to further consider destabilizing directions for the Einstein metric. The discussion allows for general scaling parameter s for about half the paper. However, the concrete numerics of the \(1/\sqrt{5}\) case are required for the main results. The last two chapters additionally investigate second order obstructions for the \(G_2\)-deformations and apply the results to the Aloff-Wallach space, respectively.