Stability and moduli space of generalized Ricci solitons

Abstract

The generalized Einstein–Hilbert action is an extension of the classic scalar curvature energy and Perelman’s F-functional which incorporates a closed three-form. The critical points are known as generalized Ricci solitons, which arise naturally in mathematical physics, complex geometry, and generalized geometry. Through a delicate analysis of the group of generalized gauge transformations, and implementing a novel connection, we give a simple formula for the second variation of this energy which generalizes the Lichnerowicz operator in the Einstein case. As an application we show that all Bismut-flat manifolds are linearly stable critical points, and admit nontrivial deformations arising from Lie theory. Furthermore, this leads to extensions of classic results of Koiso [1–4] and Podesta, Spiro, Kröncke [5–8] to the moduli space of generalized Ricci solitons. To finish we classify deformations of the Bismut-flat structure on S3 and show that some are integrable while others are not.