Linear bounds for constants in Gromov’s systolic inequality and related results

Abstract

Let $M^n$ be a closed Riemannian manifold. Larry Guth proved that there exists $c(n)$ with the following property: if for some $r>0$ the volume of each metric ball of radius $r$ is less than $({r\over c(n)})^n$, then there exists a continuous map from $M^n$ to a $(n-1)$-dimensional simplicial complex such that the inverse image of each point can be covered by a metric ball of radius $r$ in $M^n$. It was previously proven by Gromov that this result implies two by now famous Gromov's inequalities: $Fill Rad(M^n)\leq c(n)vol(M^n)^{1\over n}$ and, if $M^n$ is essential, then also $sys_1(M^n)\leq 6c(n)vol(M^n)^{1\over n}$ with the same constant $c(n)$. Here $sys_1(M^n)$ denotes the length of a shortest non-contractible closed curve in $M^n$. We prove that these results hold with $c(n)=({n!\over 2})^{1\over n}\leq {n\over 2}$. We demonstrate that for essential Riemannian manifolds $sys_1(M^n) \leq n\ vol^{1\over n}(M^n)$. All previously known upper bounds for $c(n)$ were exponential in $n$. Moreover, we present a qualitative improvement: In Guth's theorem the assumption that the volume of every metric ball of radius $r$ is less than $({r\over c(n)})^n$ can be replaced by a weaker assumption that for every point $x\in M^n$ there exists a positive $\rho(x)\leq r$ such that the volume of the metric ball of radius $\rho(x)$ centered at $x$ is less than $({\rho(x)\over c(n)})^n$ (for $c(n)=({n!\over 2})^{1\over n}$). Also, if $X$ is a boundedly compact metric space such that for some $r>0$ and an integer $n\geq 1$ the $n$-dimensional Hausdorff content of each metric ball of radius $r$ in $X$ is less than $({r\over 4n})^n$, then there exists a continuous map from $X$ to a $(n-1)$-dimensional simplicial complex such that the inverse image of each point can be covered by a metric ball of radius $r$.