The $κ$-nullity of Riemannian manifolds and their splitting tensors

Abstract

We consider Riemannian $n$-manifolds $M$ with nontrivial $κ$-nullity "distribution" of the curvature tensor $R$, namely, the variable rank distribution of tangent subspaces to $M$ where $R$ coincides with the curvature tensor of a space of constant curvature $κ$ ($κ\in\mathbb R$) is nontrivial. We obtain classification theorems under diferent additional assumptions, in terms of low nullity/conullity, controlled scalar curvature or existence of quotients of finite volume. We prove new results, but also revisit previous ones.