Number of bound states and estimates on some geometric invariants (Q756716)

The first Betti number \(b_ 1\) of a compact Riemannian manifold with non-negative Ricci curvature Ric is bounded by the dimension; if Ric is positive at some point, then \(b_ 1=0\). This is the classical theorem due to Bochner. In this paper upper estimates for \(b_ 1\) are given in terms of isoperimetric properties and of integral bounds on the Ricci curvature. This is proved by estimating the dimension of harmonic sections resp. of bound states of a Laplace type symmetric operator. It is also shown that the Morse index of an isometric minimal immersion of a manifold into Euclidean space can be bounded from above by an integral bound for the second fundamental form. The results of this paper were announced in the authors' paper in Lect. Notes Math. 1324, 30-40 (1988; Zbl 0659.35095).