6 1. RICCI SOLITONS
is the exponent in the Gaussian function. Here we used the standard identity
£vfgcan = 2'\7'\7 f.
2. Differentiating the.soliton equation - local and global analysis
2.1. Differentiating general solitons. Let (g, X) be a Ricci soliton
structure (gradient or not) on Mn:
(1.17) 2~j + 'ViXj + 'VjXi + Egij = 0.
Condition (1.17) places a strong condition on g and X. For example, con-
tracting (1.17) with g (tracing) gives
(1.18)
. ns
R +div X +
2
= 0,
where div X ~ gii'ViXj and R is the scalar curvature. If Mis closed, then
this implies
(1.19)
2r
E=--,
n
where r ~ JM Rdμ/ vol(M) denotes the average scalar curvature.
Furthermore, we also have the following.
LEMMA 1.10. If (g,X) is a Ricci soliton structure on Mn, then
(1.20)
or more invariantly,
.6.Xb +Re ( Xb) = 0,
where Re : T* M -+ T* M is defined by Re (a) i ~ Rie gem am.
PROOF. Taking the divergence of (1.17) and applying the second con-
tracted Bianchi identity (Vl-3.13) and the Ricci identity (Vl-p. 286b ), we
obtain
=gJ ·k ( 'Vi'VjXk-RjikR.9mXm e ) +.6.Xi
= -'ViR +~elm Xm + .6.Xi,
where we have used (1.18). The lemma follows from cancelling the -'ViR
terms. D
Lastly, computing the scalar curvature of the evolving metric (1.11) and
comparing its time-derivative (at t = 0) with its evolution under the Ricci
fl.ow gives
LEMMA 1.11. If (g, X) is a Ricci soliton structure on Mn, then
(1.21) .6.R + 21Re1^2 = £xR - sR.