Bochner's technique for statistical structures (Q895465)

Let \(g\) be a positive definite Riemannian tensor field on an oriented manifold \(M\). A connection \(\nabla\) satisfying the following Codazzi condition \[ (\nabla_Xg)(Y,Z)=(\nabla_Yg)(X,Z) \] for all \(X,Y,Z\in T_xM\), \(x\in M\) is called a statistical connection for \(g\) and a structure \((g,\nabla)\) is called a statistical structure. The main aim of the paper is to extend Bochner's technique to statistical structures. Other topics related to this technique are also introduced to the theory of statistical structures. It deals, in particular, with Hodge's theory, Bochner-Weitzenböck and Simon's type formulas. Moreover, a few global and local theorems on the geometry of statistical structures are proved, for instance, theorems saying that under some topological and geometrical conditions a statistical structure must be trivial. A new concept of sectional curvature depending on statistical connections is also introduced. On the base of this notion, the author studies the curvature operator and proves some analogues of well-known theorems from Riemannian geometry.