All Questions
Tagged with riemannian-geometry gt.geometric-topology
121 questions
40
votes
0
answers
3k
views
Minimal volume of 4-manifolds
This question came up in a talk of Dieter Kotschick yesterday. The minimal volume of a manifold is the infimum of volumes of Riemannian metrics on the manifold with sectional curvatures bounded in ...
- 68.9k
36
votes
7
answers
5k
views
Is there a mathematical book on general relativity that uses exclusively a coordinate free language even in practical computations?
I would also appreciate if it was as far from the physicists formalism as possible, no abstract indices ,etc. Also I don't consider using a basis or tetrads as coordinate free.
The idea is to use ...
- 395
34
votes
0
answers
724
views
Metrics on the 3-sphere with knotted geodesics
According to answers to this question every metrics on $S^3$ admits a simple closed geodesic. Given a knot (or link) $K$, it's also quite simple to build a metric on $S^3$ such that $K$ is a geodesic (...
- 10.9k
27
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Is there a Chern-Gauss-Bonnet theorem for orbifolds?
There's a Gauss-Bonnet theorem for compact 2-orbifolds(due to Satake, I think), which gives a relation between the curvature of a Riemannian orbifold and the orbifold topology(i.e. taking into account ...
- 1,665
25
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is there a smooth manifold which admits only rigid metrics?
Does there exist a (finite dimensional) smooth manifold $M$, such that every Riemannian metric on $M$ has no isometries except the identity?
Of course, such a manifold must not admit a diffeomorphism ...
- 6,741
22
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Just how close can two manifolds be in the Gromov-Hausdorff distance?
Suppose that we have two compact Riemannian manifolds $(M,g)$ and $(N,h)$. Define the Gromov-Hausdorff distance between them in your favorite way, I'll use the infimum of all $\epsilon$ such that ...
- 646
21
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Smooth functions on sphere
Let $u$ be a smooth function defined on the unit sphere $S^2$. Assume $u$ has two local maxima, two local minima, and two saddle points (a total of 6 critical points). Does there exist a plane $P$ ...
20
votes
0
answers
540
views
Homeomorphisms of the sphere mapping a geodesic triangulation to another one
Consider the standard Riemannian 2-sphere $S$, equipped with a geodesic triangulation $T$. Let $L(S,T)$ be the space of homeomorphisms of $S$ which map
$T$ to a geodesic triangulation. What is the ...
19
votes
1
answer
734
views
Is the following a sufficient condition for asphericity?
I recently came across the following question while working on some problems on manifolds with lower Ricci curvature bounds.
Given $n$ does there exist a large $R>0$ with the following property:
...
- 7,842
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Hyperbolic manifolds which fiber over the circle
If $N^2$ is a closed, orientable surface of genus at least $2$, and if $\phi$ is an (orientation-preserving) pseudo-Anosov mapping on $N$, then one can form the closed orientable 3-manifold $M^3$ by ...
- 4,425
16
votes
3
answers
1k
views
SO(3) action on (simply connected) 6 manifold with discrete fixed point
If a 6-dimensional orientable smooth manifold $M$ admits a smooth effective $SO(3)$ action with discrete fixed point set, what can we say about the topology of $M$? What if we assume that in addition ...
- 591
16
votes
2
answers
605
views
What is the weakest negative curvature condition ensuring a manifold is a $K(G,1)$?
The only statement I'm sure of is that any hyperbolic or Euclidean manifold is a $K(G,1)$ (i.e. its higher homotopy groups vanish), since its universal cover must be $\mathbb H^n$ or $\mathbb E^n$. ...
- 63.9k
16
votes
0
answers
425
views
Is the oriented bordism ring generated by homogeneous spaces?
I am trying to find a Riemannian geometrically well-understood set of generators of the oriented bordism ring, including the torsion parts. By a set of generators, I mean that the set generates the ...
- 587
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Thurston geometries in dimension 4
In the sense of W. Thurston here, there is 3 geometries in dimension 2 and there is 8 geometries in dimension 3.
Question: How many different geometries (in the sense of Thurston) do we have in ...
- 1,607
15
votes
1
answer
350
views
Closed geodesics avoiding points in hyperbolic surfaces
Let $\Sigma$ be a closed hyperbolic surface. Is it true that for any finite collection of points $x_1,\ldots,x_n\in\Sigma$ there exists a closed geodesic $\gamma$ containing none of them?
Remark: It ...
- 380
14
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Does there exist a closed manifold that can be given both a Euclidean and a Hyperbolic structure?
I originally asked this on math.stackexchange, where I asked if there could exist a closed manifold that could be given different geometric structures of constant curvature (not at the same time, of ...
- 619
14
votes
2
answers
786
views
For a 3-manifold $Y$, when does $Y\times S^{1}$ admits a Riemannian metric with positive scalar curvature?
Let $Y$ be an orientable, smooth 3-manifold and let $X=Y\times S^{1}$. My question is that: when does $X$ admits a Riemannian metric with positive scalar curvature?
An obvious case is when $Y$ ...
- 1,069
14
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How metric is Riemannian geometry
Let $(M, g)$ be a finite-dimensional Riemannian manifold. It is well-known, that the Riemannian metric induce a metric on the manifold by
$$d(x, y) = \text{inf} \int_a^b \| \dot\gamma(t) \| \, dt\,,$$...
- 5,824
14
votes
1
answer
860
views
Mapping torus of Klein bottle
This got 5 upvotes but no answers on MSE (Mapping torus of Klein bottle), so I'm cross-posting to MO:
The mapping torus of a Klein bottle $ K $ is a compact flat 3 manifold.
The mapping class group of ...
- 4,081
13
votes
1
answer
306
views
Were 3-manifolds with $\sec>0$ known to be space forms before Ricci flow?
It is well known that R. Hamilton (JDG 1982) used Ricci flow to show that a closed $3$-manifold with positive Ricci curvature must be diffeomorphic to a spherical space form $S^3/\Gamma$, since such ...
- 5,891
12
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Riemannian metrics on non-paracompact manifolds
After proving the existence of Riemannian metrics on manifolds, one of the students asked if the "paracompactness" is necessary. Of course the standard proof with the partition of unity
uses this ...
- 6,214
12
votes
3
answers
371
views
Are there quanitative versions of Thurston's geometrization for manifolds which fiber over $S^1$?
The geometrization theorem tells us:
Theorem (Thurston) The mapping torus $M_\phi$ of a pseudo-Anosov diffeomorphism $\phi: S_g \rightarrow S_g$ from a genus $g$ surface to itself admits a complete ...
- 647
12
votes
3
answers
930
views
Voronoi cells and the dual complexes in Riemannian manifolds
I would like to use some "intuitively clear" properties of Voronoi cells in general Riemannian manifolds, but I have trouble finding references.
Let $(X,d)$ be a connected Riemannian ...
- 3,897
12
votes
0
answers
381
views
Two ways a manifold can have little symmetry
Let $M$ be a closed connected smooth oriented manifold. The following two properties - that $M$ can either enjoy or not - intuitively both mean that $M$ has very little symmetry:
(a) Every self-map $...
- 11.9k
11
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Retraction of a Riemannian manifold with boundary to its cut locus
This question is edited following the comment of Joseph. He pointed out that the main object of the first version of this question is the cut locus.
Recall that the cut locus of a set $S$ in a ...
- 28.9k
11
votes
1
answer
584
views
Curvature of maximum of two riemannian metrics
Consider $g_1$ and $g_2$ two Riemannian metrics on a differentiable manifold $M$ of dimension $n\ge 4$. Suppose locally $g_i=f_i\sum_{j=1}^ndx_j^2$, where $f_i:M\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ are non ...
user99087
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Information about Milnor conjecture
I'm a student of mathematics and I need know about the status of the Milnor conjecture (if there are partial results or if someone solved that). The statement is:
A complete Riemannian manifold with ...
- 203
10
votes
1
answer
498
views
Is it obvious that analytic torsion is a topological invariant?
Ray and Singer proved in their paper that analytic torsion is independent of metric (some details may still need to be checked), and together with Cheeger-Muller theorem this implies analytic torsion ...
- 6,249
10
votes
2
answers
751
views
On Gromov's proof of the systolic inequality $\operatorname{Sys}_1(M)\leq 6\operatorname{FillRad}(M)$
In the page 10 of the paper "Filling Riemannian manifolds" by Gromov (ProjetEuclid link), the author proves the following inequality (1.2) relating the systole and the filling radius of manifolds.
$$\...
- 469
9
votes
2
answers
367
views
Is compact flat manifold cusp cross-sections of a complete finite volume hyperbolic manifold?
Let $M^{n-1}$ be a closed flat manifold. Is it true that there exists a hyperbolic manifold $N^n$ with finite volume such that $M$ is a cusp cross-section of $N$?
It was proved in "On the geometric ...
- 2,623
9
votes
1
answer
334
views
Can a knotted sphere isometrically embed into $\mathbb R^3$?
All smooth simple closed curves in $\mathbb R^3$ (knotted or not) can be isometrically embedded into $\mathbb R^2$ as a circle of equal arclength.
The situation for knotted spheres seems more ...
- 459
9
votes
1
answer
444
views
Compact flat orientable 3 manifolds and mapping tori
There are 10 compact flat 3 manifolds up to diffeomorphism, 6 orientable and 4 non orientable. I am looking to better understand how to construct the orientable ones.
The six orientable ones are ...
- 4,081
9
votes
1
answer
240
views
Classification of geometric structures through character varieties
Under what general assumptions $(G,X)$-geometric structures on a manifold $M$ are classified by their holonomies, yielding an injection
$$\Psi: \{(G,X)\text{-structures on M}\} \to H(\pi_1(M),G)/G ?$$ ...
- 2,390
9
votes
0
answers
336
views
Nash embedding for 3 manifolds
The Nash embedding theorem tells us that every smooth Riemannian m-manifold can be embedded in $R^n$ for, say, $n = m^2 + 5m + 3$ (edit: 14 is a better bound for compact 3 manifolds thanks @mme). What ...
- 4,081
8
votes
1
answer
412
views
Homeomorphism/ homotopy types of non-negatively curved manifolds
A (special case of a) theorem of Gromov says for any $n\in \mathbb{N}$ there exists a constant $C(n)$ such that for any smooth connected closed $n$-dimensional Riemannian manifold with non-negative ...
- 21.8k
8
votes
1
answer
696
views
Geodesics on manifolds with boundary
Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian manifold with non-empty boundary. Is there any notion of injectivity radius on $(M,g)$ in points away from the boundary? By this I mean points lying in $M- \partial M$. ...
- 131
8
votes
1
answer
364
views
Cohomological dimension bounds on the fundamental group of a manifold
Suppose $M$ is a (closed, connected, oriented, smooth) manifold.
If $M$ is aspherical, i.e., if the inversal covering $\tilde{M}$ is contractible, $M$ is a $B\pi_1(M)$. This is often enforced by ...
- 11.9k
8
votes
2
answers
631
views
Teichmüller space on non-orientable closed surfaces
It is known that any closed orientable surface of genus $g \geq 2$ admits a hyperbolic metric, and the Teichmüller space of such metrics has dimension $6g - 6$. I was wondering if there is a ...
- 81
8
votes
1
answer
311
views
Laplacian spectrum asymptotics in neck stretching
Let $M$ be a compact Riemannian manifold. Let $S \subset M$ be a smooth hypersurface separating $M$ into two components. Let $g_T$ be a family of Riemannian metric obtained by stretching along $S$, i....
- 1,207
8
votes
1
answer
599
views
Exact condition for smooth homogeneous to imply Riemannian homogeneous for compact manifolds
Let $ (M,g) $ be a homogeneous Riemannian manifold. That is, the isometry group $ Iso(M,g) $ acts transitively on $ M $. Let $ \pi_1(M) $ be the fundamental group of $ M $. Then $ \pi_1(M) $ has ...
- 4,081
7
votes
2
answers
614
views
Locally conformally flat
Is there any example of a locally conformally flat manifold that is neither a space form nor a product of space forms?
- 71
7
votes
1
answer
376
views
Does any surface of constant curvature admit a cocompact group action?
Suppose $S$ is a non-compact and complete surface (2 dimensional smooth Riemannian manifold) of constant curvature. I am wondering if there exists a group $G$ which acts by isometries and properly ...
- 107
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
G-spaces and manifolds
In his book "The geometry of geodesics" H. Busemann defines the notion of a G-space to be a space which satisfies the following axioms:
The space is metric
The space is finitely compact, i.e., a ...
- 579
7
votes
1
answer
546
views
Can a hyperbolic manifold be a product?
I was interested in whether a manifold which admits a metric of constant sectional curvature can be homotopy equivalent to a product of non-contractible manifolds. Of course, there are three cases: ...
- 19.3k
7
votes
1
answer
759
views
Complete geodesics on hyperbolic a pair of pants
I have asked this question on MSE. But I think Mo is a better place to ask my question. Here is the link to my question on MSE. I will rewrite it here:
I am trying to understand the article by Maryam ...
- 231
7
votes
1
answer
423
views
3-manifolds with all geodesics closed
A theorem of Bott states that if a manifold admits a metric with all geodesics closed, then its homology is isomorphic to the homology of one of the manifolds from the list: $S^n, \mathbb{RP}^n, \...
- 1,170
7
votes
2
answers
436
views
Are square tiled surfaces dense in the moduli space of translation surfaces?
I'm reading the survey "An introduction to Veech surfaces" by Pascal Hubert and Thomas Schmidt.
At page 19 they state "In any fixed stratum, the set of square-tiled surfaces of that stratum is dense....
- 73
6
votes
2
answers
317
views
Quasi-isometric embedding of graphs in non-compact riemannian surfaces
Given a complete riemannian surface $(S,m)$, where $S$ is homeomorphic to $\mathbb{R}^2$, I would like to find a weighted graph $G$ (which means a graph with real non-negative weights on the edges), ...
- 935
6
votes
2
answers
256
views
Generalization of Bieberbach's second theorem
Let $F_0$ and $F_1$ be compact flat manifolds of dimensions $k$ and $m$, respectively, where $k \geq m$. Suppose $f : \pi_1(F_0) \to \pi_1(F_1)$ is a surjective homomorphism. Consider the covering ...
- 419
6
votes
1
answer
375
views
Non-compact Dirichlet fundamental domains and free Fuchsian groups
Let $G$ be a finitely generated Fuchsian group, and let $\mathcal{F}$ denote the Dirichlet fundamental domain of $G$ with respect to $0$ in the Poincaré disc model.
Assume throughout that $\mathcal{F}$...
- 63