English

Moduli spaces of nonnegatively curved metrics on exotic spheres

Differential Geometry 2022-11-17 v3

Abstract

We show that the moduli space of nonnegatively curved metrics on each member of a large class of 2-connected 7-manifolds, including each smooth manifold homeomorphic to S7S^7, has infinitely many connected components. The components are distinguished using the Kreck-Stolz ss-invariant computed for metrics constructed by Goette, Kerin and Shankar. The invariant is computed by extending each metric to the total space of an orbifold disc bundle and applying generalizations of the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theorem for orbifolds with boundary. We develop methods for computing characteristic classes and integrals of characteristic forms appearing in index theorems for orbifolds, in particular orbifolds constructed using Lie group actions of cohomogeneity one.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2107.02310,
  title  = {Moduli spaces of nonnegatively curved metrics on exotic spheres},
  author = {McFeely Jackson Goodman},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2107.02310},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

29 pages; v2: results extended to larger family of manifolds, and detailed treatment of computations on orbifolds added v3: minor change "path components" to "connected components," citation [BeGo] added