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Department of Mathematics,
University of California San Diego

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Math 258: Seminar in Differential Geometry

Dr. Baozhi Chu

UC San Diego

Some recent developments on the fully nonlinear Yamabe problem

Abstract:

The classical Yamabe problem—solved through the work of Yamabe, Trudinger, Aubin, and Schoen—asserts that on any closed smooth connected Riemannian manifold $(M^n,g)$, $n\geq 3$, one can find a metric conformal to $g$ with constant scalar curvature. A fully nonlinear analogue replaces the scalar curvature by symmetric functions of the Schouten tensor. Traditionally, the existing theory has required the scalar curvature to have a fixed sign. In a recent work, we broaden the scope of fully nonlinear Yamabe problem by establishing optimal Liouville-type theorems, local gradient estimates, and new existence and compactness results. Our results allow conformal metrics with scalar curvature of varying signs. A crucial new ingredient in our proofs is our enhanced understanding of solution behavior near isolated singularities. I will also discuss extensions to manifolds with boundary, treating prescribed boundary mean curvature and the boundary curvature arising from the Chern–Gauss–Bonnet formula.

Host: Ruobing Zhang

November 12, 2025

11:00 AM

APM 5829

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