Closed \(\mathrm{G}_2\)-structures on unimodular Lie algebras with non-trivial center (Q6192558)

A \(G_2\)-structure on a seven-dimensional manifold \(M\) is a reduction of the structure group of its frame bundle to the exceptional Lie group \(G_2\). Such a reduction exists if and only if \(M\) is orientable and spin and is characterized by the existence of a three-form \(\varphi\) on \(M\), whose stabilizer at each point is isomorphic to \(G_2\). When \(d\varphi=0\), the \(G_2\)-structure is said to be closed. The authors investigate seven-dimensional unimodular Lie algebras \(\mathfrak g\) with nontrivial center admitting closed \(G_2\)-structures. They are characterized as central extensions of six-dimensional Lie algebras \(\mathfrak h\) by a closed \(2\)-form \(\omega_0\). Then, \(\varphi = \tilde\omega \wedge \theta+\rho\), where \(\theta\) is a \(1\)-form such that \(d\theta = \omega_0\), \(\rho\) is a definite \(3\)-form on \(\mathfrak h\) with \(d\rho = -\omega_0 \wedge \tilde\omega\), and \(\tilde\omega\) is a symplectic form on \(\mathfrak h\) that tames the almost complex structure induced by \(\rho\) and a suitable orientation. In particular, if \(\omega_0\) is symplectic, then \(\theta\) is a contact form and \((\mathfrak g, \theta)\) is the contactization of \((\mathfrak h, \omega_0)\). A complete classification (up to isomorphisms) is then achieved for seven-dimensional unimodular Lie algebras with nontrivial center admitting closed \(G_2\)-structures. A Laplacian soliton is a closed \(G_2\)-structure \(\varphi\) on a seven-dimensional manifold \(M\), satisfying \(\Delta_\varphi \varphi = \lambda \varphi+\mathcal{L}_X \varphi\), where \(\lambda\), \(X\) and \(\Delta_\varphi\) respectively denote a real constant, a vector field on \(M\) and the Hodge Laplacian of the metric induced by \(\varphi\). The authors prove that semi-algebraic solitons (where \(X\) is defined by a one-parameter group of automorphisms induced by a derivation \(D\) of the Lie algebra) on the contactization of a symplectic Lie algebra are expanding, and determine all unimodular Lie algebras with center of dimension at least two that admit semi-algebraic solitons.