Special metrics and triality (Q952430)

The author studies a \(PSU(3)\)-structure (\(PSU(3)=SU(3)/\ker Ad \subset SO(8)\)) on an \(8\)-dimensional manifold \(M\), which is defined by a generic closed and coclosed \(3\)-form. He gives a Riemannian characterization of this structure in terms of invariant spinor-valued 1-forms, which are harmonic with respect to the corresponding twisted Dirac operator \(D\), finds obstructions to topological reduction of the frame bundle of \(M\) to \(PSU(3)\), and, for compact \(M\), sufficient conditions for that a topological \(PSU(3)\)-structure can be lifted to a \(SU(3)\)-structure. An example of an integrable non-symmetric \(PSU(3)\)-structure on a compact manifold \(M\) is constructed. Also, the author gives a new Riemannian characterization for topological quaternionic Kähler structures which are defined by an \(Sp(1)\cdot Sp(2)\)-invariant self-dual \(4\)-form. He shows that this form is closed if and only if the corresponding spinor-valued \(1\)-form is harmonic with respect to \(D\) and that these conditions give constraints on the Ricci tensor.