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A. Rod Gover

Publications and source records attributed to A. Rod Gover.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2012

Nullspaces of Conformally Invariant Operators. Applications to $Q_{k}$-curvature

We study conformal invariants that arise from functions in the nullspace of conformally covariant differential operators. The invariants include nodal sets and the topology of nodal domains of eigenfunctions in the kernel of GJMS operators. We establish that on any manifold of dimension $n\geq 3$, there exist many metrics for which our invariants are nontrivial. We discuss new applications to curvature prescription problems.

math.DG↗
arXiv2012

Boundary calculus for conformally compact manifolds

On conformally compact manifolds of arbitrary signature, we use conformal geometry to identify a natural (and very general) class of canonical boundary problems. It turns out that these encompass and extend aspects of already known holographic bulk-boundary problems, the conformal scattering description of boundary conformal invariants, and corresponding questions surrounding a range of physical bulk wave equations. These problems are then simultaneously solved asymptotically to all orders by a single universal calculus of operators that yields what may be described as a solution generating algebra. The operators involved are canonically determined by the bulk (i.e. interior) conformal structure along with a field which captures the singular scale of the boundary; in particular the calculus is canonical to the structure and involves no coordinate choices. The generic solutions are also produced without recourse to coordinate or other choices, and in all cases we obtain explicit universal formulae for the solutions that apply in all signatures and to a range of fields. A specialisation of this calculus yields holographic formulae for GJMS operators and Branson's Q-curvature.

math.DG↗
arXiv2012

Some differential complexes within and beyond parabolic geometry

For smooth manifolds equipped with various geometric structures, we construct complexes that replace the de Rham complex in providing an alternative fine resolution of the sheaf of locally constant functions. In case that the geometric structure is that of a parabolic geometry, our complexes coincide with the Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand complex associated with the trivial representation. However, at least in the cases we discuss, our constructions are relatively simple and avoid most of the machinery of parabolic geometry. Moreover, our method extends to certain geometries beyond the parabolic realm.

math.DG↗
arXiv2012

Higher symmetries of the conformal powers of the Laplacian on conformally flat manifolds

On locally conformally flat manifolds we describe a construction which maps generalised conformal Killing tensors to differential operators which may act on any conformally weighted tensor bundle; the operators in the range have the property that they are symmetries of any natural conformally invariant differential operator between such bundles. These are used to construct all symmetries of the conformally invariant powers of the Laplacian (often called the GJMS operators) on manifolds of dimension at least 3. In particular this yields all symmetries of the powers of the Laplacian $Δ^k$, $k\in \mathbb{Z}>0$, on Euclidean space $\mathbb{E}^n$. The algebra formed by the symmetry operators is described explicitly.

math.DG↗
arXiv2010

Universal principles for Kazdan-Warner and Pohozaev-Schoen type identities

The classical Pohozaev identity constrains potential solutions of certain semilinear PDE boundary value problems. The Kazdan-Warner identity is a similar necessary condition important for the Nirenberg problem of conformally prescribing scalar curvature on the sphere. For dimensions $n\geq 3$ both identities are captured and extended by a single identity, due to Schoen in 1988. In each of the three cases the identity requires and involves an infinitesimal conformal symmetry. For structures with such a conformal vector field, we develop a very wide, and essentially complete, extension of this picture. Any conformally variational natural scalar invariant is shown to satisfy a Kazdan-Warner type identity, and a similar result holds for scalars that are the trace of a locally conserved 2-tensor. Scalars of the latter type are also seen to satisfy a Pohozaev-Schoen type identity on manifolds with boundary, and there are further extensions. These phenomena are explained and unified through the study of total and conformal variational theory, and in particular the gauge invariances of the functionals concerned. Our generalisation of the Pohozaev-Schoen identity is shown to be a complement to a standard conservation law from physics and general relativity.

math.DG↗
arXiv2010

Prolongation on Contact Manifolds

On contact manifolds we describe a notion of (contact) finite-type for linear partial differential operators satisfying a natural condition on their leading terms. A large class of linear differential operators are of finite-type in this sense, and for any such operator we construct a partial connection on a (finite rank) vector bundle with the property that sections in the null space of the operator correspond bijectively, and via an explicit map, with sections parallel for the partial connection. It follows that the solution space is finite dimensional and bounded by the corank of the holonomy algebra of the partial connection. For finite-type operators on a parabolic contact geometry, the structure of the vector bundle, in particular its rank, can be easily determined by representation theory.

math.DG↗
arXiv2009

Conformally Invariant Operators via Curved Casimirs: Examples

We discuss a general scheme for a construction of linear conformally invariant differential operators from curved Casimir operators; we then explicitly carry this out for several examples. Apart from demonstrating the efficacy of the approach via curved Casimirs, this shows that this method applies both in regular and in singular infinitesimal character, and also that it can be used to construct standard as well as non--standard operators. The examples treated include conformally invariant operators with leading term, in one case, a square of the Laplacian, and in another case, a cube of the Laplacian.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

CR-Tractors and the Fefferman Space

We develop the natural tractor calculi associated to conformal and CR structures as a fundamental tool for the study of Fefferman's construction of a canonical conformal class on the total space of a circle bundle over a non--degenerate CR manifold of hypersurface type. In particular we construct and treat the basic objects that relate the natural bundles and natural operators on the two spaces. This is illustrated with several applications: We prove that a number of conformally invariant overdetermined systems admit non--trivial solutions on any Fefferman space. We show that the space of conformal Killing fields on a Fefferman space naturally decomposes into a direct sum of subspaces, which admit an interpretaion as solutions of certain CR invariant PDE's. Finally we explicitly analyze the relation between tractor calculus on a CR manifold and the complexified conformal tractor calculus on its Fefferman space, thus obtaining a powerful computational tool for working with the Fefferman construction.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

Q curvature prescription; forbidden functions and the GJMS null space

On an even conformal manifold $(M,c)$, such that the critical GJMS operator has non-trivial kernel, we identify and discuss the role of a finite dimensional vector space $N(Q)$ of functions determined by the conformal structure. Using these we describe an infinite dimensional class of functions that cannot be the Q-curvature $Q^g$ for any $g$ in $c$. If certain functions arise in $N(Q)$ then $Q^g$ cannot be constant for any $g$ in $c$.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

A class of compact Poincare-Einstein manifolds: properties and construction

We develop a geometric and explicit construction principle that generates classes of Poincare-Einstein manifolds, and more generally almost Einstein manifolds. Almost Einstein manifolds satisfy a generalisation of the Einstein condition; they are Einstein on an open dense subspace and, in general, have a conformal scale singularity set that is a conformal infinity for the Einstein metric. In particular, the construction may be applied to yield families of compact Poincare-Einstein manifolds, as well as classes of almost Einstein manifolds that are compact without boundary. We obtain classification results which show that the construction essentially exhausts a class of almost Einstein (and Poincare-Einstein) manifold. We develop the general theory of fixed conformal structures admitting multiple compatible almost Einstein structures. We also show that, in a class of cases, these are canonically related to a family of constant mean curvature totally umbillic embedded hypersurfaces.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

The Research of Thomas P. Branson

The Midwest Geometry Conference 2007 was devoted to the substantial mathematical legacy of Thomas P. Branson who passed away unexpectedly the previous year. This contribution to the Proceedings briefly introduces this legacy. We also take the opportunity of recording his bibliography. Thomas Branson was on the Editorial Board of SIGMA and we are pleased that SIGMA is able to publish the Proceedings.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

Almost Einstein and Poincare-Einstein manifolds in Riemannian signature

An almost Einstein manifold satisfies equations which are a slight weakening of the Einstein equations; Einstein metrics, Poincare-Einstein metrics, and compactifications of certain Ricci-flat asymptotically locally Euclidean structures are special cases. The governing equation is a conformally invariant overdetermined PDE on a function. Away from the zeros of this the almost Einstein structure is Einstein, while the zero set gives a scale singularity set which may be viewed as a conformal infinity for the Einstein metric. In this article we give a classification of the possible scale singularity spaces and derive geometric results which explicitly relate the intrinsic conformal geometry of these to the conformal structure of the ambient almost Einstein manifold. Classes of examples are constructed. A compatible generalisation of the constant scalar curvature condition is also developed. This includes almost Einstein as a special case, and when its curvature is suitably negative, is closely linked to the notion of an asymptotically hyperbolic structure.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

Yang-Mills detour complexes and conformal geometry

Working over a pseudo-Riemannian manifold, for each vector bundle with connection we construct a sequence of three differential operators which is a complex (termed a Yang-Mills detour complex) if and only if the connection satisfies the full Yang-Mills equations. A special case is a complex controlling the deformation theory of Yang-Mills connections. In the case of Riemannian signature the complex is elliptic. If the bundle connection respects a metric on the vector bundle then the complex is formally self-adjoint. In dimension 4 the complex is conformally invariant and generalises, to the full Yang-Mills setting, the composition of (two operator) Yang-Mills complexes for (anti-)self-dual Yang-Mills connections. Via a prolonged system and tractor connection a diagram of differential operators is constructed which, when commutative, generates differential complexes of natural operators from the Yang-Mills detour complex. In dimension 4 this construction is conformally invariant and is used to yield two new sequences of conformal operators which are complexes if and only if the Bach tensor vanishes everywhere. In Riemannian signature these complexes are elliptic. In one case the first operator is the twistor operator and in the other sequence it is the operator for Einstein scales. The sequences are detour sequences associated to certain Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand sequences.

math.DG↗
arXiv2008

Conformal operators on forms and detour complexes on Einstein manifolds

For even dimensional conformal manifolds several new conformally invariant objects were found recently: invariant differential complexes related to, but distinct from, the de Rham complex (these are elliptic in the case of Riemannian signature); the cohomology spaces of these; conformally stable form spaces that we may view as spaces of conformal harmonics; operators that generalise Branson's Q-curvature; global pairings between differential form bundles that descend to cohomology pairings. Here we show that these operators, spaces, and the theory underlying them, simplify significantly on conformally Einstein manifolds. We give explicit formulae for all the operators concerned. The null spaces for these, the conformal harmonics, and the cohomology spaces are expressed explicitly in terms of direct sums of subspaces of eigenspaces of the form Laplacian. For the case of non-Ricci flat spaces this applies in all signatures and without topological restrictions. In the case of Riemannian signature and compact manifolds, this leads to new results on the global invariant pairings, including for the integral of Q-curvature against the null space of the dimensional order conformal Laplacian of Graham et al..

math.DG↗
arXiv2007

Conformal Dirichlet-Neumann Maps and Poincaré-Einstein Manifolds

A conformal description of Poincare-Einstein manifolds is developed: these structures are seen to be a special case of a natural weakening of the Einstein condition termed an almost Einstein structure. This is used for two purposes: to shed light on the relationship between the scattering construction of Graham-Zworski and the higher order conformal Dirichlet-Neumann maps of Branson and the author; to sketch a new construction of non-local (Dirichlet-to-Neumann type) conformal operators between tensor bundles.

math.DG↗
arXiv2007

Commuting linear operators and algebraic decompositions

For commuting linear operators $P_0,P_1,..., P_\ell$ we describe a range of conditions which are weaker than invertibility. When any of these conditions hold we may study the composition $P=P_0P_1... P_\ell$ in terms of the component operators or combinations thereof. In particular the general inhomogeneous problem $Pu=f$ reduces to a system of simpler problems. These problems capture the structure of the solution and range spaces and, if the operators involved are differential, then this gives an effective way of lowering the differential order of the problem to be studied. Suitable systems of operators may be treated analogously. For a class of decompositions the higher symmetries of a composition $P$ may be derived from generalised symmmetries of the component operators $P_i$ in the system.

math.OA↗
arXiv2007

Commuting linear operators and decompositions; applications to Einstein manifolds

For linear operators which factor with suitable assumptions concerning commutativity of the factors, we introduce several notions of a decomposition. When any of these hold then questions of null space and range are subordinated to the same questions for the factors, or certain compositions thereof. When the factors are polynomial in other commuting operators then we show that, in a suitable sense, generically factorisations algebraically yield decompositions. In the case of operators on a space over an algebraically closed field this boils down to elementary algebraic geometry arising from the polynomial formula for the orginal operator. Applied to operators P polynomial in single other operator D this shows that the solution space for P decomposes directly into a sum of generalised eigenspaces for D. We give universal formulae for the projectors administering the decomposition. In the generic setting the inhomogenous problems for P reduce to an equivalent inhomogeneous problem for an operator linear in D. These results are independent of the operator D, and so provide a route to progressing such questions when functional calculus is unavailable. Related generalising results are obtained as well as a treatment for operators on vector spaces over arbitrary fields. We introduce and discuss symmetry algebras for such operators. As a motivating example application we treat, on Einstein manifolds, the conformal Laplacian operators of Graham-Jenne-Mason-Sparling.

math.AC↗