Bismut Ricci flat generalized metrics on compact homogeneous spaces (including a Corrigendum)

Abstract

A generalized metric on a manifold $M$, i.e., a pair $(g,H)$, where $g$ is a Riemannian metric and $H$ a closed $3$-form, is a fixed point of the generalized Ricci flow if and only if $(g,H)$ is Bismut Ricci flat: $H$ is $g$-harmonic and $ric(g)=\frac{1}{4}{H}_g^2$. On any homogeneous space $M=G/K$, where $G=G_1\times G_2$ is a compact semisimple Lie group with two simple factors, under some mild assumptions, we exhibit a Bismut Ricci flat $G$-invariant generalized metric, which is proved to be unique among a $4$-parameter space of metrics in many cases, including when $K$ is neither abelian nor semisimple. On the other hand, if $K$ is simple and the standard metric is Einstein on both $G_1/{\pi }_1(K)$ and $G_2/{\pi }_2(K)$, we give a one-parameter family of Bismut Ricci flat $G$-invariant generalized metrics on $G/K$ and show that it is most likely pairwise non-homothetic by computing the ratio of Ricci eigenvalues. This is proved to be the case for every space of the form $M=G\times G/\Delta K$ and for $M^{35}=SO(8)\times SO(7)/G_2$. A Corrigendum has been added in Appendix A.

27 pages. Final version published in Transactions AMS with a Corrigendum added