Central Kähler metrics

Abstract

The determinant of the Ricci endomorphism of a Kähler metric is called its central curvature, a notion well-defined even in the Riemannian context. This work investigates two types of Kähler metrics in which this curvature potential gives rise to a potential for a gradient holomorphic vector field. These metric types generalize the Kähler-Einstein notion as well as that of Bando and Mabuchi (1986). Whenever possible the central curvature is treated in analogy with the scalar curvature, and the metrics are compared with the extremal Kähler metrics of Calabi. An analog of the Futaki invariant is employed, both invariants belonging to a family described in the language of holomorphic equivariant cohomology. It is shown that one of the metric types realizes the minimum of an L 2 L^2 functional defined on the space of Kähler metrics in a given Kähler class. For metrics of constant central curvature, results are obtained regarding existence, uniqueness and a partial classification in complex dimension two. Consequently, on a manifold of Fano type, such metrics and Kähler-Einstein metrics can only exist concurrently. An existence result for the case of non-constant central curvature is stated, and proved in a sequel to this work.