Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · math/0506544

Isometries, rigidity, and universal covers

Benson Farb·Shmuel Weinberger
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We classify all closed, aspherical Riemannian manifolds M whose universal cover has indiscrete isometry group. One sample application is the theorem that any such M with word-hyperbolic fundamental group must be isometric to a negatively curved, locally symmetric manifold. Another application is the classification of all contractible Riemannian manifolds covering both compact and (noncompact, complete) finite volume manifold. There are also applications to the Hopf Conjecture, a new proof of Kazhdan's Conjecture (Frankel's Theorem) in complex geometry, etc. Ideas in the proof come from Lie theory, the homological theory of transformation groups, harmonic maps, and large-scale geometry. An extension to the non-aspherical case is also given.

Explore related subjects

math.DGmath.GT

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Benson Farb, Shmuel Weinberger. 2007-02-05. Isometries, rigidity, and universal covers. https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0506544

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Ancient mean curvature flow asymptotic to a minimal quadratic cone

In this paper, we prove that a smooth, properly embedded ancient mean curvature flow that is asymptotic to an $O(n)\times O(m)$ symmetric minimal quadratic cone for $n +m \geq 10$, and lies on one side of the cone has to have unique asymptotics in the parabolic region. When additionally assuming mean convexity, we upgrade unique asymptotics to full uniqueness, and show that such flow has to be a stationary flow given by one of the leaves of the Hardt-Simon foliation. This is the first rigidity/unique asymptotics theory for ancient mean curvature flow with a $\textbf{singular minimal cone as the asymptotic model}$.

math.DG↗
arXiv2026

Log-Concavity of First Dirichlet Eigenfunctions on $\mathbb{CP}^2$

We study the log-concavity property of first Dirichlet eigenfunctions on domains in $\mathbb{CP}^2$. For every smooth $1$-convex domain $Ω\subset\mathbb{CP}^2$, we prove the quantitative estimate \[ \nabla^2(-\log u) > \max\left\{ψ(s),\frac85\right\}g, \text{ where } ψ(|\grad f|^2) = \frac{s}{\sqrt{1+s}}-\log(1+s), \] for its first Dirichlet eigenfunction $u$. In particular, $u$ is strictly log-concave. As consequences, we obtain a uniform convexity estimate for the regular level sets of $u$ and the fundamental gap bound $λ_2-λ_1>46/5$.

math.DG↗
arXiv2026

Pólya--Szegö Inequality on Submanifolds of Riemannian Manifolds with Nonnegative Curvature and Applications

We prove a Pólya--Szegö inequality for functions defined on an $n$-dimensional submanifold $Σ$ of a complete noncompact Riemannian manifold with nonnegative sectional curvature. The associated rearrangement is a Schwarz rearrangement on $\mathbb R^n$, and the constant depends on the $L^n$-norm of the mean curvature of $Σ$ and an isoperimetric quantity obtained by Brendle. As applications, we derive Sobolev, Log-Sobolev, Hardy, and Gagliardo--Nirenberg inequalities on submanifolds of arbitrary codimension under a small total mean curvature assumption. In the critical Sobolev case, we obtain Moser--Trudinger inequalities on finite-volume submanifolds and exact growth inequalities on submanifolds with infinite volume. Under suitable assumptions, the Pólya--Szegö constant equals one; in this case, the critical constants in the inequalities coincide with the sharp Euclidean ones.

math.DG↗