Regularization via Cheeger deformations (Q895460)

Let \(G\) be a compact group of isometries of a complete Riemannian manifold \((M,g_M)\). Let \(g_{bi}\) be a bi-invariant metric on \(G\) and let \(t^2g_{bi}+g_M\) be a 1-parameter family of metrics on \(G\times M\). The \textit{Cheeger action} is \(g\cdot(p,m)=(pg^{-1},gm)\). Taking the quotient by the Cheeger action yields a 1-parameter family of metrics \(g_t\) which converges to the original metric as \(t\) tends to infinity. Let \(M^{\mathrm{reg}}\) be the union of the principal orbits. If \(x\in M^{\mathrm{reg}}\), set \(\tilde g_t:=t^{-2}g_t|_{T_xG}+g_t|_{T_xG^\perp}\). This is the so-called \textit{Cheeger deformation} which was first used by Cheeger for perturbing the metric on a non-negatively curved manifold [\textit{J. Cheeger}, J. Differ. Geom. 8, 623--628 (1973; Zbl 0281.53040)]. Here, \(T_xG\) is the tangent space to the principal orbit thru \(x\). The authors show the following. Theorem. For any non-negative integer \(k\) and any \(G\)-invariant pre-compact open subset \(\mathcal{U}\subset M^{\mathrm{reg}}\), as \(t\rightarrow0\), the 1-parameter family \(\tilde g_t|_{\mathcal{U}}\) converges in the \(C^k\) topology to a \(G\)-invariant metric \(\tilde g\) so that the Riemannian submersion from \((\mathcal{U},\tilde g)\) to \( \mathcal{U}/G\) has totally geodesic, normal homogeneous fibers. They also describe the normal homogeneous metrics on the fibers. Section~1 is an introduction to the matter at hand. Section~2 presents notations and conventions, and Section~3 proves the regular structure theorem.