Related papers: Are four dimensions enough, a note on ambient cosm…
We use mirror symmetry to establish the first concrete arena of spacetime topology change in string theory. In particular, we establish that the {\it quantum theories} based on certain nonlinear sigma models with topologically distinct…
We consider decomposition spaces $\R^3/G$ that are manifold factors and admit defining sequences consisting of cubes-with-handles. Metrics on $\R^3/G$ constructed via modular embeddings into Euclidean spaces promote the controlled topology…
In this paper, we construct infinitely many diffeomorphisms of a Joyce manifold $M$ which achieve Yomdin's homological lower bound for topological entropy, imitating a recent construction of Farb-Looijenga for K3 surfaces. Moreover,…
We consider conformal gravity boundary conditions and outline the highest dimensional non-trivial asymptotic symmetry algebras of conformal gravity. The highest among them is five dimensional and leads to a global geon solution.
We analyze the constraints of general coordinate invariance for quantum theories possessing conformal symmetry in four dimensions. The character of these constraints simplifies enormously on the Einstein universe $R \times S^3$. The…
Current constraints on spatial curvature show that it is dynamically negligible: $|\Omega_{\rm K}| \lesssim 5 \times 10^{-3}$ (95% CL). Neglecting it as a cosmological parameter would be premature however, as more stringent constraints on…
We study geometry of two-dimensional models of conformal space-time based on the group of Moebius transformation. The natural geometric invariants, called cycles, are used to linearise Moebius action. Conformal completion of the space-time…
In this paper, we study the asymptotic structure of the Fefferman-Graham ambient metric. We prove that every straight ambient metric admits a conformal completion with a well-defined null infinity, and that the asymptotic expansion of the…
An intrinsic definition in terms of conformal capacity is proposed for the conformal type of a Carnot--Carath\'eodory space (parabolic or hyperbolic). Geometric criteria of conformal type are presented. They are closely related to the…
Jet isomorphism theorems for conformal geometry are discussed. A new proof of the jet isomorphism theorem for odd-dimensional conformal geometry is outlined, using an ambient realization of the conformal deformation complex. An infinite…
We present a new method for classifying naturally reductive homogeneous spaces -- i.\,e.~homogeneous Riemannian manifolds admitting a metric connection with skew torsion that has parallel torsion \emph{and} curvature. This method is based…
The relationship between associative composition algebras of dimensions 2 and 4 within the context of homogeneous spaces, with a particular focus on Hamiltonian quaternions, is explored. In the special case of Hamiltonian quaternions, the…
A class of Riemann-Cartan G\"odel-type space-times are examined in the light of the equivalence problem techniques. The conditions for local space-time homogeneity are derived, generalizing previous works on Riemannian G\"odel-type…
The cosmological Friedmann equation sourced by the trace anomaly of a conformal field theory that is dual to the five-dimensional Schwarzschild-AdS geometry can be derived from the first law of thermodynamics if the apparent horizon of the…
We discuss the problem of determining the spacetime structure. We show that when we are using only topological methods the spacetime can be modelled as an R- or Q-compact space although the R-compact spaces seem to be more appropriate.…
Perfect fluid space-times admitting a three-dimensional Lie group of conformal motions containing a two-dimensional Abelian Lie subgroup of isometries are studied. Demanding that the conformal Killing vector be proper (i.e., not homothetic…
In this paper we study the topology of conformally compact Einstein 4-manifolds. When the conformal infinity has positive Yamabe invariant and the renormalized volume is also positive we show that the conformally compact Einstein 4-manifold…
We study the geodesics, Hausdorff dimension, and curvature bounds of the sub-Lorentzian Heisenberg group. Through an elementary variational approach, we provide a new proof of the structure of its maximizing geodesics, showing that they are…
We study in this paper the rational homotopy type of the space of symplectic embeddings of the standard ball $B^4(c) \subset \R^4$ into 4-dimensional rational symplectic manifolds. We compute the rational homotopy groups of that space when…
Under mild topological restrictions, we obtain new linear upper bounds for the dimension of the mod $p$ homology (for any prime $p$) of a finite-volume orientable hyperbolic $3$ manifold $M$ in terms of its volume. A surprising feature of…