arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Stuart Armstrong.
This note aims to demonstrate that every parabolic geometry has a naturally defined per-Courant algebroïd structure. This structure is a Courant algebroïd if and only if the the curvature $κ$ of the Cartan connection vanishes. In all other cases, if the parabolic geometry is regular, there does not exist a natural universal expression for a Courant bracket.
This note demonstrates how both the concept of distance and the concept of holonomy can be constructed from a suitable network with directed edges (and no lengths). The number of different edge types depends on the signature of the metric and the dimension of the holonomy group. If the holonomy group is of dimension one and the metric is positive-definite, a single type of directed edges is needed.
This paper analyses non-regular $|2|$-graded geometries, and show that they share many of the properties of regular geometries -- the existence of a unique normal Cartan connection encoding the structure, the harmonic curvature as obstruction to flatness of the geometry, the existence of the first two BGG splitting operators and of (in most cases) invariant prolongations for the standard Tractor bundle $\mc{T}$. Finally, it investigates whether these geometries are determined entirely by the distribution $H = T_{-1}$ and concludes that this is generically the case, up to a finite choice, whenever $H^1(\mf{g}^1,\mf{g})$ vanishes in non-negative homogeneity.
Complementing the previous paper in the series, this paper classifies $|2|$-graded parabolic geometries, listing their important properties: the group $G_0$, the graded tangent bundle $gr(T)$ and its algebraïc bracket, the relevant cohomology spaces and the standard Tractor bundle $\mc{T}$. Several of these geometries are then explored in more detail, and the paper ends with a case study that that partially solves the equivalence problem for generic six distributions on nine dimensional manifolds.
This paper attempts to define a generalisation of the standard Einstein condition (in conformal/metric geometry) to any parabolic geometry. To do so, it shows that any preserved involution $σ$ of the adjoint bundle $\mc{A}$ gives rise, given certain algebraic conditions, to a unique preferred affine connection $\nabla$ with covariantly constant rho-tensor $\mathsf{P}$, compatible with the algebraic bracket on $\mc{A}$. These conditions can reasonably be considered the generalisations of the Einstein condition, and recreate the standard Einstein condition in conformal geometry. The existence of such an involution is implies by some simpler structures: preserved metrics when the overall algebra $\mf{g}$ is $\mf{sl}(m,\mbb{F})$, preserved complex structures anti-commuting with the skew-form for $\mf{g}=\mf{sp}(2m,\mbb{F})$, and preserved subundles of the tangent bundle, of a certain rank, for all the other non-exceptional simple Lie algebras. Examples of Einstein involutions are constructed or referenced for several geometries. The existence of cone constructions for certain Einstein involutions is then demonstrated.
This paper demostrates a method for analysing almost CR geometries $(H,J)$, by uniquley defining a partially integrable structure $(H,K)$ from the same data. Thus two almost CR geometries $(H,J)$ and $(H',J')$ are equivalent if and and only if they generate isomorphic induced partially integrable CR geometries $(H,K)$ and $(H',K')$, and if the set of CR morphisms between these spaces contains an element that maps $J$ to $J'$. Similar results hold for almost Lagrangian structures.
This note fills a hole in the author's previous paper ``Ricci-Flat Holonomy: a Classification'', by dealing with irreducible holonomy algebras that are subalgebras or real forms of $\mbb{C} \oplus \mf{spin}(10,\mbb{C})$. These all turn out to be of Ricci-type.
This paper analyses the parabolic geometries generated by a free 3-distribution in the tangent space of a manifold. It shows the existence of normal Fefferman constructions over CR and Lagrangian contact structures corresponding to holonomy reductions to SO(4,2) and SO(3,3), respectively. There is also a fascinating construction of a `dual' distribution when the holonomy reduces to $G_2'$. The paper concludes with some holonomy constructions for free $n$-distributions for $n>3$.
Let $\mf{g}$ be any finite-dimensional Lie algebra with Killling form $B$. Let $\mf{h}$ be a subalgebra of $\mf{g}$ on which the Killing form is non degenerate. Then $\mf{h}$ is reductive.
This paper analyses the parabolic geometries generated by a free $n$-distribution in the tangent space of a manifold. It shows that certain holonomy reductions of the associated normal Tractor connections, imply preferred connections with special properties, along with Riemannian or sub-Riemannian structures on the manifold. It constructs examples of these holonomy reductions in the simplest cases. The main results, however, lie in the free 3-distributions. In these cases, there are normal Fefferman constructions over CR and Lagrangian contact structures corresponding to holonomy reductions to SO(4,2) and SO(3,3), respectively. There is also a fascinating construction of a `dual' distribution when the holonomy reduces to $G_2'$.
The aim of this paper and its sequel is to introduce and classify the holonomy algebras of the projective Tractor connection. After a brief historical background, this paper presents and analyses the projective Cartan and Tractor connections, the various structures they can preserve, and their geometric interpretations. Preserved subbundles of the Tractor bundle generate foliations with Ricci-flat leaves. Contact- and Einstein-structures arise from other reductions of the Tractor holonomy, as do U(1) and $Sp(1, \mathbb{H})$ bundles over a manifold of smaller dimension.
The aim of this paper and its prequel is to introduce and classify the irreducible holonomy algebras of the projective Tractor connection. This is achieved through the construction of a `projective cone', a Ricci-flat manifold one dimension higher whose affine holonomy is equal to the Tractor holonomy of the underlying manifold. This paper uses the result to enable the construction of manifolds with each possible holonomy algebra.
This paper aims to classify the holonomy of the conformal Tractor connection, and relate these holonomies to the geometry of the underlying manifold. The conformally Einstein case is dealt with through the construction of metric cones, whose Riemmanian holonomy is the same as the Tractor holonomy of the underlying manifold. Direct calculations in the Ricci-flat case and an important decomposition theorem complete the classification for definitive signature.
The reductive holonomy algebras for a torsion-free affine connection are analysed, with the goal of establishing which ones can correspond to a Ricci-flat connection with the same properties. Various families of holonomies are eliminated through different algebraic means, and examples are constructed (in this paper and in `Projective Geometry II: Holonomy Classification', by the same author) in the remaining cases, thus solving this problem completely, for reductive holonomy.
For a conformal manifold we introduce the notion of an ambient connection, an affine connection on an ambient manifold of the conformal manifold, possibly with torsion, and with conditions relating it to the conformal structure. The purpose of this construction is to realise the normal conformal tractor holonomy as affine holonomy of such a connection. We give an example of an ambient connection for which this is the case, and which is torsion free if we start the construction with a C-space, and in addition Ricci-flat if we start with an Einstein manifold. Thus for a $C$-space this example leads to an ambient metric in the weaker sense of Čap and Gover, and for an Einstein space to a Ricci-flat ambient metric in the sense of Fefferman and Graham.