Conical Kahler-Einstein metric revisited

Abstract

In this paper we introduce the "interpolation-degneration" strategy to study Kahler-Einstein metrics on a smooth Fano manifold with cone singularities along a smooth divisor that is proportional to the anti-canonical divisor. By "interpolation" we show the angles in $(0,2\ddot{I}€]$ that admit a conical Kahler-Einstein metric form an interval; and by "degeneration" we figure out the boundary of the interval. As a first application, we show that there exists a Kahler-Einstein metric on $P^2$ with cone singularity along a smooth conic (degree 2) curve if and only if the angle is in $(\ddot{I}€/2,2\ddot{I}€]$. When the angle is $2\ddot{I}€/3$ this proves the existence of a Sasaki-Einstein metric on the link of a three dimensional $A_2$ singularity, and thus answers a problem posed by Gauntlett-Martelli-Sparks-Yau. As a second application we prove a version of Donaldson's conjecture about conical Kahler-Einstein metrics in the toric case using Song-Wang's recent existence result of toric invariant conical Kahler-Einstein metrics.

44 pages. The paper is reorganized. The methods and applications are highlighted. Some more comments and arguments are added. Normalization of coefficients are made consistent. Some typos are corrected