Manifolds with positive curvature operators are space forms

Abstract

The Ricci flow was introduced by Hamilton in 1982 [H1] in order to prove that a compact three-manifold admitting a Riemannian metric of positive Ricci curvature is a spherical space form. In dimension four Hamilton showed that compact four-manifolds with positive curvature operators are spherical space forms as well [H2]. More generally, the same conclusion holds for compact four-manifolds with 2-positive curvature operators [Che]. Recall that a curvature operator is called 2-positive, if the sum of its two smallest eigenvalues is positive. In arbitrary dimensions Huisken [Hu] described an explicit open cone in the space of curvature operators such that the normalized Ricci flow evolves metrics whose curvature operators are contained in that cone into metrics of constant positive sectional curvature. Hamilton conjectured that in all dimensions compact Riemannian manifolds with positive curvature operators must be space forms. In this paper we confirm this conjecture. More generally, we show the following