English

Four--Dimensional Metrics Conformal to Kahler

Differential Geometry 2015-05-13 v3 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Theory Mathematical Physics math.MP

Abstract

We derive some necessary conditions on a Riemannian metric (M,g)(M, g) in four dimensions for it to be locally conformal to K\"ahler. If the conformal curvature is non anti--self--dual, the self--dual Weyl spinor must be of algebraic type DD and satisfy a simple first order conformally invariant condition which is necessary and sufficient for the existence of a K\"ahler metric in the conformal class. In the anti--self--dual case we establish a one to one correspondence between K\"ahler metrics in the conformal class and non--zero parallel sections of a certain connection on a natural rank ten vector bundle over MM. We use this characterisation to provide examples of ASD metrics which are not conformal to K\"ahler. We establish a link between the `conformal to K\"ahler condition' in dimension four and the metrisability of projective structures in dimension two. A projective structure on a surface UU is metrisable if and only if the induced (2, 2) conformal structure on M=TUM=TU admits a K\"ahler metric or a para-K\"ahler metric.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0901.2261,
  title  = {Four--Dimensional Metrics Conformal to Kahler},
  author = {Maciej Dunajski and Paul Tod},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0901.2261},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

A new example added. Final version, to appear in Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society

R2 v1 2026-06-21T12:01:17.424Z