Mathematisches Institut

Universität Bonn

The Yamabe Problem and related topics

Graduate Seminar on Differential Geometry (S4D1)
1 Uniformization of surfaces via curvature (2-3 talks)
It is a well known consequence of the uniformization theorem from complex analysis, that any
conformal class on a closed Riemann surfaces admits a metric of constant Gaussian curvature.
It is also possible to give a PDE proof of this fact by studying the equation

gw + Kg = Ke2w g e2w . (1)

Here g denotes the (positive) Laplace operator of ( , g), Kg and Ke2w g denote the curvature
of ( , g) reps. ( , Ke2w g ). This material can be found in [Tay11, 14.2], for the crucially used
Trudinger inequality, see [Tay11, 13.4]. Another interesting reference is [MT02].

2 The Yamabe problem

In order to solve the Poincaré conjecture Yamabe wanted to find metrics having constant scalar
curvature as a first step. In analogy to the two dimensional uniformization theorem, restricting
the attention to metrics in a fixed conformal class gives rise to semilinear elliptic PDE,
n≠1
4 + Rg u = Ru4/(n≠2) g u2 (2)
ı ≠1
gu
n≠2
which is of critical nonlinearity. Here Rg and Ru4/(n≠2) g denote the scalar curvature of the metric
g respectively u4/(n≠2) g, and g = the (positive) Laplace operator of (M, g). The dimension
n of M is assumed to be at least 3, and 2ı = 2n/(n ≠ 2) is the exponent of the critical Sobolev
embedding W 1,2 Òæ L2 .
ı

The Yamabe problem now asks for the following. Given any closed manifold (M, g) of dimension
at least 3, there exists a constant c, and a smooth positive function u, such that
n≠1
4 + Rg u = cu2 (3)
ı ≠1
gu .
n≠2
More generally, we need to study the equations
n≠1
4 gu + Rg u = cup≠1 , (4)
n≠2
for p Æ 2ı . If p < 2ı it is easy to find solutions, the hard part is to show that these can be used
to find solutions to (3).

2.1 Einstein Hilbert action and the case p < 2ı (1 talk)

Discuss the variational approach to (3) and (4) via the Einstein Hilbert action and the Yamabe
functional. Introduce the Yamabe constant and prove that it is a conformal ivnariant. Show how
to find smooth minimizing solutions to (4). The main reference is [Aub98, 5.1.1-5.1.3].

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 It is possible to avoid the use of Sobolev’s lemma in the proof of Theorem 5.5 using arguments
from [Gur93, Tru68], we are going to use anyway. The argument in [SY94] uses Calderon–
Zygmund theory instead of the Sobolev lemma.

2.2 The negative case (1/2 talk)

Give a proof for the Yamabe problem in the case of negative Yamabe invariant. This is [Aub98,
5.1.3].

2.3 Trudinger’s theorem (1 talk)

Prove the main result from [Tru68].

2.4 The role of the Yamabe constant (1-2 talks)

Explain the proof of the estimate Y (M, g) Æ Y (S n , gst. ) and the importance of the strict inequal-
ity concerning a possible blow-up of solutions to (4). This is the part of [Aub98, 5.2] concerning
the Yamabe equation. This needs some background material on sharp Sobolev inequalities, which
can be found in [Aub98, 2.7], see also the excellent (but advanced) [DH02]. Of course also the
material about more general semilinear elliptic equations is very interesting.
An alternative argument using blow-up techniques can be found in [SY94, V., Theorem 2.1].
This avoids the use of [Tru68].

2.5 Estimate of the Yamabe constant

In order to establish the full solution to the Yamabe problem, we are left with proving the strict
inequality Y (M, g) < Y (S n , gst. ), whenever (M, g) is not conformally equivalent to the standard
sphere.

2.5.1 Conformal normal coordinates and asymptotic expansion of Green’s function (2 talks)
These coordinates are an analogue of Riemannian normal coordinates. Computations in these co-
ordinates simplify the estimates of the Yamabe constant significantly. This material is contained
in [LP87, Sec. 5,6], see also [SY94, V.3].

2.5.2 Nonlocally conformally flat manifolds of dimension n Ø 6 (1/2 talk)

Explain Aubin’s proof of Y (M, g) < Y (S n , gst. ) in this case. A good reference is [SY94].

2.5.3 The remaining cases (1/2 talk)

Show the estimate Y (M, g) < Y (S n , gst. ) in all remaining cases using the positive mass theorem.
The reference is [SY94], see also [LP87].

2.6 The positive mass theorem (4-5 talks)

In order to complete the proof of the Yamabe problem we need severeal versions of the positive
mass theorem. These appear in [SY79, SY81, SY81], see also the lecture notes by Ernst Kuwert,
which can be found at [Link]
html.

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 If the underlying manifold is additionally spin, Witten found a much simpler proof for the
positive mass theorem [Wit81], a further simplified proof for this case can be found in [AH05].

3 An example in the non-compact case (1 talk)

On non-compact manifolds it is not possible to solve the Yamabe equation in general. An example
is given in [Jin88].

4 Non-Existence of solutions for p > 2ı (1 talk)

If p > 2ı in (4) the variational approach breaks down entirely. In general, there will not exist
non-trivial solutions. A corresponding result concerning the non-linear boundary value problem
I
u = |u|p≠1 u in U
(5)
u=0 on ˆU

can be found in [Eva10, 9.4.2]. This uses a Pohozaev identity. These types of identities play a
key role in the compactness question for solutions to (3).

References
[AH05] Ammann, B. ; Humbert, E.: Positive mass theorem for the Yamabe problem on Spin
manifolds. In: Geom. Funct. Anal. 15 (2005), Nr. 3, 567–576. [Link]
1007/s00039-005-0521-z. – DOI 10.1007/s00039–005–0521–z. – ISSN 1016–443X

[Aub98] Aubin, Thierry: Some nonlinear problems in Riemannian geometry. Springer-

Verlag, Berlin, 1998 (Springer Monographs in Mathematics). – xviii+395 S.
[Link] [Link]
978-3-662-13006-3. – ISBN 3–540–60752–8

[DH02] Druet, Olivier ; Hebey, Emmanuel: The AB program in geometric analysis: sharp
Sobolev inequalities and related problems. In: Mem. Amer. Math. Soc. 160 (2002), Nr.
761, viii+98. [Link] – DOI 10.1090/memo/0761. –
ISSN 0065–9266

[Eva10] Evans, Lawrence C.: Graduate Studies in Mathematics. Bd. 19: Partial differential
equations. Second. American Mathematical Society, Providence, RI, 2010. – xxii+749
S. [Link] [Link] –
ISBN 978–0–8218–4974–3

[Gur93] Gursky, Matthew J.: Compactness of conformal metrics with integral bounds on
curvature. In: Duke Math. J. 72 (1993), Nr. 2, 339–367. [Link]
S0012-7094-93-07212-2. – DOI 10.1215/S0012–7094–93–07212–2. – ISSN 0012–7094

[Jin88] Jin, Zhi R.: A counterexample to the Yamabe problem for complete noncompact mani-
folds. Version: 1988. [Link] In: Partial differential
equations (Tianjin, 1986) Bd. 1306. Springer, Berlin, 1988. – DOI 10.1007/BFb0082927,
93–101

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[LP87] Lee, John M. ; Parker, Thomas H.: The Yamabe problem. In: Bull.
Amer. Math. Soc. (N.S.) 17 (1987), Nr. 1, 37–91. [Link]
S0273-0979-1987-15514-5. – DOI 10.1090/S0273–0979–1987–15514–5. – ISSN 0273–
0979

[MT02] Mazzeo, Rafe ; Taylor, Michael: Curvature and uniformization. In: Israel
J. Math. 130 (2002), 323–346. [Link] – DOI
10.1007/BF02764082. – ISSN 0021–2172

[SY79] Schoen, Richard ; Yau, Shing T.: On the proof of the positive mass conjec-
ture in general relativity. In: Comm. Math. Phys. 65 (1979), Nr. 1, 45–76. http:
//[Link]/[Link]/1103904790. – ISSN 0010–3616

[SY81] Schoen, Richard ; Yau, Shing T.: Proof of the positive mass theorem. II. In: Comm.
Math. Phys. 79 (1981), Nr. 2, 231–260. [Link]
1103908964. – ISSN 0010–3616

[SY94] Schoen, R. ; Yau, S.-T.: Lectures on differential geometry. International Press, Cam-
bridge, MA, 1994 (Conference Proceedings and Lecture Notes in Geometry and Topol-
ogy, I). – v+235 S. – ISBN 1–57146–012–8. – Lecture notes prepared by Wei Yue Ding,
Kung Ching Chang [Gong Qing Zhang], Jia Qing Zhong and Yi Chao Xu, Translated
from the Chinese by Ding and S. Y. Cheng, Preface translated from the Chinese by
Kaising Tso

[Tay11] Taylor, Michael E.: Applied Mathematical Sciences. Bd. 117: Partial differential
equations III. Nonlinear equations. Second. Springer, New York, 2011. – xxii+715
S. [Link] [Link]
978-1-4419-7049-7. – ISBN 978–1–4419–7048–0

[Tru68] Trudinger, Neil S.: Remarks concerning the conformal deformation of Riemannian
structures on compact manifolds. In: Ann. Scuola Norm. Sup. Pisa (3) 22 (1968), S.
265–274

[Wit81] Witten, Edward: A new proof of the positive energy theorem. In: Comm. Math. Phys.
80 (1981), Nr. 3, 381–402. [Link] –
ISSN 0010–3616