Related papers: Harmonic $Sp(2)$-invariant $G_2$-structures on the…

The present article investigates Sp(3) structures on 14-dimensional Riemannian manifolds, a continuation of the recent study of manifolds modeled on rank two symmetric spaces (here: SU(6)/Sp(3)). We derive topological criteria for the…

We identify the smooth metrics $\mc{M}(M)$ on a manifold $M^n$ with the smooth isometric embeddings $f_g: (M,g) \rightarrow (\mb{S}^{\tn}, \tg)$ into a standard sphere of large dimension $\tn=\tn(n)$, and their Palais isotopic deformations,…

We study the existence of left invariant closed $G_2$-structures defining a Ricci soliton metric on simply connected nonabelian nilpotent Lie groups. For each one of these $G_2$-structures, we show long time existence and uniqueness of…

We consider a closed orientable Riemannian 3-manifold $(M,g)$ and a vector field $X$ with unit norm whose integral curves are geodesics of $g$. Any such vector field determines naturally a 2-plane bundle contained in the kernel of the…

Starting from Joyce's generalised Kummer construction, we exhibit non-trivial families of $\mathrm{G}_2$-manifolds over the two dimensional sphere by resolving singularities with a twisted family of Eguchi-Hanson spaces. We establish that…

We relate the existence problem of harmonic maps into $S^2$ to the convex geometry of $S^2$. On one hand, this allows us to construct new examples of harmonic maps of degree 0 from compact surfaces of arbitrary genus into $S^2$. On the…

We introduce new methods in pseudo-isotopy and embedding space theory. As an application we introduce an invariant that detects nontrivial loops of embedded 2-spheres in $S^{2} \times S^{2}$ and in connected sums of $S^{2} \times S^{2}$.…

There are two well-known parabolic split $G_2$-geometries in dimension five, $(2,3,5)$-distributions and $G_2$-contact structures. Here we link these two geometries with yet another $G_2$-related contact structure, which lives on a…

For any natural number $n$, the group $G_n$ of all invertible affine transformations of $n$-dimensional Euclidean space has, up to equivalence, just one square-integrable representation and the left regular representation of $G_n$ is a…

The algebra S of symmetric invariants over the field with two elements is an unstable algebra over the Steenrod algebra A, and is isomorphic to the mod two cohomology of BO, the classifying space for vector bundles. We provide a minimal…

For any 4D split-signature conformal structure, there is an induced twistor distribution on the 5D space of all self-dual totally null 2-planes, which is $(2,3,5)$ when the conformal structure is not anti-self-dual. Several examples where…

We initiate a systematic study of cohomogeneity-one solitons in Bryant's Laplacian flow of closed G_2-structures on a 7-manifold, motivated by the problem of understanding finite-time singularities of that flow. Here we focus on solitons…

We define a measure of spectral asymmetry for G_2 and Spin(7) manifolds. We show that this invariant can be computed in terms of characteristic classes and the covariant constant form defining the G_2 or Spin(7) structure.

In the space of closed $G_2$-structures equipped with Bryant's Dirichlet-type metric, we continue to utilise the geodesic, constructed in our previous article, to show that, under a normalisation condition Hitchin's volume functional is…

We study homogeneous curves on some classes of reductive homogeneous spaces G=H which are geodesics with respect to any G-invariant metric on G=H. These curves are called equigeodesics. The spaces we consider are certain Stiefel manifolds…

We construct a new (singular) cohomogeneity-three metric of G_2 holonomy. The solution can be viewed as a triple intersection of smeared Taub-NUTs. The metric comprises three non-compact radial-type coordinates, with the principal orbits…

We establish a twistor correspondence between a cuspidal cubic curve in a complex projective plane, and a co-calibrated homogeneous $G_2$ structure on the seven--dimensional parameter space of such cubics. Imposing the Riemannian reality…

A moving parallel frame method is applied to geometric non-stretching curve flows in the Hermitian symmetric space Sp(n)/U(n) to derive new integrable systems with unitary invariance. These systems consist of a bi-Hamiltonian modified…

We present conformal structures in signature (3,2) for which the holonomy of the Fefferman-Graham ambient metric is equal to the non-compact exceptional Lie group G_{2(2)}. We write down the resulting 8-parameter family of G_{2(2)}-metrics…

Given a generic 2-plane field on a 5-dimensional manifold we consider its (3,2)-signature conformal metric [g] as defined in math.DG/0406400. Every conformal class [g] obtained in this way has very special conformal holonomy: it must be…