Geometry and Analysis of Manifolds with Reduced Holonomy
SMI, Cortona, 2007

TOPICS FOR THE AFTERNOON SEMINARS (Simon Salamon)


1. Kähler manifolds. Equivalence of the various definitions. Properties of Kähler manifolds (possibly including [ρ]=2πc1)

2. Reducible holonomy. Applying the theory to compact Ricci-flat Kähler manifolds [J 3.2+6.2]

3. The continuity method. Overview of the Calabi conjecture; stating the basic estimates and explaining how they are used [J 5.2] (Maybe in collaboration with the existence seminar)

4. Nearly-Kähler metrics. Definition, characterization in terms of exterior forms, and relatonship to G2 holonomy. See the Tour, §6

5. Spin(7) metrics. Elementary properties of metrics with holonomy Spin(7) on an 8-manifold [J §10.5]

6. Isothermal coordinates. Existence of these on a real surface, as a special case of the Newlander-Nirenberg theorem. Possible source: Spivak's vol IV, from the Palazzone's library

7. A metric with holonomy SU(m+1). Constructed on the total space of the canonical bundle of a Kähler-Einstein manifold; see the red book, pages 107-109


8. More on K3 surfaces. Realizations, topology, Hodge numbers, complex moduli. Source: [J §7.3] and other books

9. The moduli of holonomy G2 metrics. Deformations of 3-forms; relevance of b3 [J 10.4]

10. The topology of compact G2 manifolds. Possible reducible holonomy subgroups of G2, refined Betti numbers. Main source: [J 10.2]. The seminar should also include some Hodge theory from [J 3.5.2] OR background on the first Pontrjagin class of a smooth manifold

11. A modification of the simple example T7/Γ. Study of fixed points and singular sets of the example in [J §12.3], following a similar presentation in lectures (the details are fiddly but elementary). Discussion of the resolutions in the same section OR the further examples from [J §12.4]

12. The structure of the singularities of T7/Γ. The notation and cases of [J §11.3], described carefully with the help of at least one example from Chapter 12

Another topic may follow