Calibrations on semi-Riemannian manifolds

dc.contributor.advisorHarvey, F. Reese
dc.creatorMealy, Jack G.
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T00:30:52Z
dc.date.available2009-06-04T00:30:52Z
dc.date.issued1989
dc.description.abstractThis thesis "dualizes" Harvey and Lawson's notion of calibrated geometry on a Riemannian manifold to the semi-Riemannian category. By considering the appropriate spaces (with signature) analogous to the positive definite situations, we prove inequalities which in turn lead to analogues of the main examples discussed by the aforementioned. These are: complex geometry on C$\sp{p,q},$ special Lagrangian geometry on R$\sp{n,n}$, associative and coassociative geometries on the imaginary split octonians, and Cayley geometry on the split octonians. By nature of these inequalities, the $\phi$-submanifolds in all of these examples are volume maximizing in an appropriate sense, which contrasts with the minimizing property in the positive definite situation. The PDE's associated with these geometries are derived, and are seen to resemble their positive definite analogues. Examples of $\phi$-submanifolds are subsequently discussed. The contact sets $\{\phi \equiv 1\}\ \cap$ Grassmannian in the positive definite and signature cases are also seen to exhibit a duality in the sense of Riemannian globally symmetric spaces. Indeed, the dual nature of the semi-Riemannian category with the Riemannian category is emphasized throughout. However, this "duality" is not precise. There are important calibrations in the positive definite category whose would-be-duals in the signature cases are not calibrations.
dc.format.extent72 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.callnoThesis Math. 1989 Mealy
dc.identifier.citationMealy, Jack G.. "Calibrations on semi-Riemannian manifolds." (1989) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16268">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16268</a>.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/16268
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
dc.subjectMathematics
dc.titleCalibrations on semi-Riemannian manifolds
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.materialText
thesis.degree.departmentMathematics
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorRice University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy
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