Let $n,m$ be integers such that $n\geq2$ and $0\leq m\leq n-2$. Let $C_{m+1}$ denote the $(m+1)$-intermediate curvature introduced by Brendle--Hirsch--Johne. We prove that there are constants $\nu(n,m),C(n,m)>0$ such that the following holds. If $(M^n,g)$ is complete and connected and, for $\delta\geq 0$, \[ \mathrm{Ric}\geq-\delta^2, \qquad C_{m+1}\geq 1, \] then \[ \delta R\leq\nu(n,m) \quad\Longrightarrow\quad \mathrm{Vol} B_R(p) \leq C(n,m)R^m \quad \text{for every $p\in M$ and $R>0$.} \] In particular, taking $m=n-2$ and $\delta=0$ gives Gromov's conjectured codimension-two volume growth estimate under $\mathrm{Ric} \geq0$ and $\mathrm{Scal} \geq1$.
Let $n\geq2$ and let $M^n$ be a closed connected smooth manifold. Let $R^\gamma(M)$ be the space of smooth Riemannian metrics $g$ on $M$ for which the generalized conformal Laplace operator $-\gamma\Delta_g+\mathrm{R}_g$ is strictly positive. We prove that if $n=2$ and $\gamma>0$, or if $n\ge3$ and $0<\gamma \leq 4(n-1)/(n-2)$, the inclusion $R^0(M)\hookrightarrow R^\gamma(M)$ is a homotopy equivalence, thus generalizing, to all dimensions and in the maximal range, the results of Botvinnik--Rosenberg and Li--Mantoulidis. Then, we prove that if $n\ge3$ and $\gamma>4(n-1)/(n-2)$, the space $R^\gamma(M)$ is contractible, and hence nonempty. This solves a homotopy-theoretic strengthening of a conjecture of Gromov (Conjecture 3, Section 6.1.2,"Four Lectures on Scalar Curvature") in the maximal possible coefficient range. Concerning Gromov's conjecture we also treat the equivariant case and the case of manifolds with boundary.
G. Antonelli, Georg Frenck, Bernhard Hanke· 0 citations