An elementary approach to gap theorems (Q841199)

The author states two rigidity theorems, applying a simple technique based on relative volume comparison for distance spheres. More precisely, let \((M, g)\) be a complete, simply connected Riemannian manifold, with \(\dim M =n\geq 3\). Assume the existence of a smooth real function \(s\) such that the sectional curvatures satisfy \(-1 -s(r)\leq K\leq -1\), \(r\) denoting the distance to a fixed point in \(M\). If \(\lim_{r\to\infty} e^{2r}s(r)= 0\), then \((M, g)\) is isometric to the hyperbolic space \(\mathbb{H}^n\). This result complements a recent theorem of Tian and Shi, which implies rigidity for \(K\geq -1\). In fact, the just mentioned authors consider a complete, simply connected Riemannian manifold \((M, g)\) with \(\dim M= n\geq 3\), non-positive sectional curvatures and \(\text{Ricci}\geq-(n- 1)\). Then, the existence of a constant \(a> 2\) such that \(|k+ 1|= O(e^{-ar})\), as \(r\to\infty\), implies that \((M, g)\) is isometric to \(\mathbb{H}^n\). The second theorem stated in this paper is a local one. Let \((M, g)\) be a Riemannian manifold of dimension \(n\geq 3\). Given \(p\in M\), denote by \(B_p(R)\) the geodesic ball of radius \(R\) centered at \(p\). Assume the existence of a real number \(a\) such that the sectional curvatures satisfy \(K\leq a\) on \(B_p(R)\) and \(K= a\) on \(\partial B_p(R)\). Furthermore, if \(a> 0\), assume that \(R\leq\min\{{\pi\over 2\sqrt{a}},\text{inj}(p)\}\). Then, the equality \(K= a\) holds on \(B_p(R)\). This result fails if one assumes that \(K\geq a\) instead of \(K\leq a\). In fact, the author constructs a metric \(g\) on the ball \(B_0({\pi\over 2})\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) which has nonnegative sectional curvatures everywhere and determines \(c\), \(\varepsilon\in(0,{\pi\over 2})\) such that \(K= 0\) on \(\partial B_0(c+\varepsilon)\) and \(K= 1\) on \(B_0(c-\varepsilon)\).