Riemannian metrics on the sphere with Zoll families of minimal hypersurfaces (Q6977178)

For \(n \ge 2\), the authors consider two families of Riemannian metrics on the sphere \(\mathbb{S}^n\), denoted respectively by \(\mathcal{Z}\) and \(\mathcal{Z}'\). A metric \(g\) belongs to \(\mathcal{Z}\) if there exists a smooth family \(\{\Sigma_\sigma\}_{\sigma \in \mathbb{RP}^{n-1}}\) of smoothly embedded minimal \((n-1)\)-dimensional spheres in \((\mathbb{S}^n, g)\) such that, for every point \(x \in \mathbb{S}^n\) and every \((n-1)\)-dimensional subspace \(\pi \subset T_x \mathbb{S}^n\), there exists a unique \(\sigma \in \mathbb{RP}^{n-1}\) with \(T_x \Sigma_\sigma = \pi\). Such a family is referred to as a Zoll family for the metric \(g\).\N\NThe subfamily \(\mathcal{Z}' \subset \mathcal{Z}\) consists of those metrics \(g\) that admit a Zoll family \(\{\Sigma_\sigma\}_{\sigma \in \mathbb{RP}^{n-1}}\) for which the area of each \(\Sigma_\sigma\) is equal to the area of \((\mathbb{S}^{n-1}, \mathrm{can})\), where \(\mathrm{can}\) denotes the canonical round metric.\N\NThe main goal of the paper is to construct families of metrics in the classes \(\mathcal{Z}\) and \(\mathcal{Z}'\). In Theorem~A, the authors prove the existence of a neighborhood \(W\) of the origin in the space of smooth odd functions on \(\mathbb{S}^n\), and a smooth map \(\lambda \colon W \to \mathcal{Z}'\) such that \(\lambda(0) = \mathrm{can}\) and \(\mathrm{d}\lambda(0)\psi = 2\psi\, \mathrm{can}\). Theorem~E provides a more general construction of smooth families of metrics near \(\mathrm{can}\) in \(\mathcal{Z}'\). The proofs of these results rely on the Nash-Moser inverse function theorem in the formulation given by \textit{R. S. Hamilton} [Bull. Am. Math. Soc., New Ser. 7, 65--222 (1982; Zbl 0499.58003)].\N\NIn Theorem~B, the authors show that no metrics of the type constructed in Theorem A descend to the projective space \(\mathbb{RP}^3\). Theorem C establishes that, for all \(n \ge 3\), there exist metrics in \(\mathcal{Z}\) that are conformal to \(\mathrm{can}\) and whose isometry group is trivial. Finally, Theorem D shows the existence of metrics on \(\mathbb{RP}^3\) with minimal equators and discrete isometry groups.