Explicit solutions to the gradient flow of Spin(7)-structures

Abstract

We study the gradient flow of Spin($7$)-structures and construct the first explicit solutions, in the homogeneous setting. As an intermediate step, we obtain formulae expressing the Spin($7$)-torsion tensor and gradient flow in terms of the Spin($7$)-torsion forms, which makes explicit computations more tractable. We use these formulae to find explicit solutions to the gradient flow of Spin($7$)-structures, obtaining a shrinking soliton on $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ as well as another explicit solution on a certain $T^7$-bundle over $S^1$. We also find an explicit solution to the coupled Ricci-harmonic flow of Spin($7$)-structures. Finally, we consider the question of stability of solitons for the renormalised gradient flow, and show that the soliton on $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ admits stable directions, unstable directions, and zero modes.