The balance between existence and nonexistence theorems in differential geometry

Abstract

We discuss the delicate balance between existence and nonexistence theorems in differential geometry. Studying their interplay yields some information about $ p $-harmonic maps, $ p $-SSU manifolds, geometric $ k_p $-connected manifolds, minimal hypersurfaces and Gauss maps, and manifolds admitting essential positive supersolutions of certain nonlinear PDE. As an application of the theory developed, we obtain a topological theorem for minimal submanifolds in complete manifolds with nonpositive sectional curvature.