Conformal deformations of conic metrics to constant scalar curvature (Q2275707)

The authors address a Yamabe type problem: Given an open manifold with a conic metric, does there exist a conformal deformation to a conic metric with constant scalar curvature? The metrics considered here are smooth Riemannian on the interior of a manifold and have a particular degenerate structure on the boundary. The authors first give two obstructions to the existence of conformal deformations of such a conic metric to a conic metric of constant scalar curvature. For the special case of conic metrics of negative scalar curvature they give sufficient conditions for the existence of a conformal deformation to a conic metric of constant curvature \(-1\). In addition they show that this metric is unique within its conformal class of conic metrics. The proof of this result is constructive, the Yamabe equation is solved constructively which leads to both existence and uniqueness of the constant curvature conic metric. The existence of such a metric has been shown earlier by D. L. Finn but the arguments were non-constructive. All of the results in the reviewed article apply to dimensions \(3\) and higher and are closely related to Akutagawa-Botvinnik's work on manifolds with cylindrical ends, see [\textit{K. Akutagawa} and \textit{B. Botvinnik}, Commun. Anal. Geom. 10, No. 5, 935--969 (2002; Zbl 1034.58007); Geom. Funct. Anal. 13, No. 2, 259--333 (2003; Zbl 1161.53344)].