The conformal transformation's controversy: what are we missing?

An alternative interpretation of the conformal transformations of the metric is discussed according to which the latter can be viewed as a mapping among Riemannian and Weyl-integrable spaces. A novel aspect of the conformal transformation's issue is then revealed: these transformations relate complementary geometrical pictures of a same physical reality, so that, the question about which is the physical conformal frame, does not arise. In addition, arguments are given which point out that, unless a clear statement of what is understood by "equivalence of frames" is made, the issue is a semantic one. For definiteness, an intuitively "natural" statement of conformal equivalence is given, which is associated with conformal invariance of the field equations. Under this particular reading, equivalence can take place only if the metric is defined up to a conformal equivalence class. A concrete example of a conformal-invariant theory of gravity is then explored. Since Brans-Dicke theory is not conformally invariant, then the Jordan's and Einstein's frames of the theory are not equivalent. Otherwise, in view of the alternative approach proposed here, these frames represent complementary geometrical descriptions of a same phenomenon. The different points of view existing in the literature are critically scrutinized on the light of the new arguments.Comment: 17 pages, no figures. version accepted by General Relativity and Gravitation journa

Determinant Bundles, Quillen Metrics, and Mumford Isomorphisms Over the Universal Commensurability Teichm\"uller Space

There exists on each Teichm\"uller space $T_g$ (comprising compact Riemann surfaces of genus $g$), a natural sequence of determinant (of cohomology) line bundles, $DET_n$, related to each other via certain ``Mumford isomorphisms''. There is a remarkable connection, (Belavin-Knizhnik), between the Mumford isomorphisms and the existence of the Polyakov string measure on the Teichm\"uller space. This suggests the question of finding a genus-independent formulation of these bundles and their isomorphisms. In this paper we combine a Grothendieck-Riemann-Roch lemma with a new concept of $C^{*} \otimes Q$ bundles to construct such an universal version. Our universal objects exist over the universal space, $T_\infty$, which is the direct limit of the $T_g$ as the genus varies over the tower of all unbranched coverings of any base surface. The bundles and the connecting isomorphisms are equivariant with respect to the natural action of the universal commensurability modular group.Comment: ACTA MATHEMATICA (to appear); finalised version with a note of clarification regarding the connection of the commensurability modular group with the virtual automorphism group of the fundamental group of a closed Riemann surface; 25 pages. LATE

Conformal dimension and Gromov hyperbolic groups with 2-sphere boundary

Suppose G is a Gromov hyperbolic group, and the boundary at infinity of G is quasisymmetrically homeomorphic to an Ahlfors Q-regular metric 2-sphere Z with Ahlfors regular conformal dimension Q. Then G acts discretely, cocompactly, and isometrically on hyperbolic 3-space.Comment: Published by Geometry and Topology at http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/gt/GTVol9/paper7.abs.htm

The extensional realizability model of continuous functionals and three weakly non-constructive classical theorems

We investigate wether three statements in analysis, that can be proved classically, are realizable in the realizability model of extensional continuous functionals induced by Kleene's second model $K_2$. We prove that a formulation of the Riemann Permutation Theorem as well as the statement that all partially Cauchy sequences are Cauchy cannot be realized in this model, while the statement that the product of two anti-Specker spaces is anti-Specker can be realized

Kahler-Einstein metrics with edge singularities

This article considers the existence and regularity of Kahler-Einstein metrics on a compact Kahler manifold $M$ with edge singularities with cone angle $2\pi\beta$ along a smooth divisor $D$. We prove existence of such metrics with negative, zero and some positive cases for all cone angles $2\pi\beta\leq 2\pi$. The results in the positive case parallel those in the smooth case. We also establish that solutions of this problem are polyhomogeneous, i.e., have a complete asymptotic expansion with smooth coefficients along $D$ for all $2\pi\beta < 2\pi$.Comment: with an appendix by Chi Li and Yanir A. Rubinstein. Accepted by Annals of Mat