Noncompactness for the constant Q_2N-curvature problem

Abstract

For every integer N≥4, we construct a fixed smooth, non-locally-conformally-flat metric on the n-dimensional unit sphere 𝕊ⁿ for which the constant Q_2N-curvature equation admits an L^∞-unbounded sequence of positive solutions. The construction applies for n≥2N+20 when N=4,5, n≥2N+19 when 6≤ N≤8, n≥2N+18 when 9≤ N≤17, and n≥2N+17 when N≥18. For each L ∈ ℕ ∪ {0}, the metric can be chosen arbitrarily close to the round metric in the C^L norm. It can also be chosen to have a coercive GJMS operator, a strictly positive Green function, and positive Green function mass wherever the Weyl tensor and its covariant derivatives through order ⌊(n−2N−4)/2⌋ vanish. Together with the known cases N=1,2,3, this establishes noncompactness at every order and proves the sharpness of the companion compactness ranges under the same operator and mass hypotheses. The construction relies on our formula for the fixed-volume Hessian of total Q_2N-curvature in transverse-traceless (TT) directions at closed Einstein metrics with Ric=(n−1)g. For every N ∈ ℕ and n>2N, this Hessian is represented by a degree-N polynomial in the Lichnerowicz Laplacian, extending Matsumoto's formula for n=2N. For the metric perturbations generated by a fixed algebraic Weyl tensor, the quadratic reduced energy with fixed bubble center is a positive multiple of this Hessian restricted to a four-dimensional TT space. Differentiation in the bubble scale yields a finite matrix whose exact sign analysis establishes the required indefiniteness in the stated dimension ranges. After continuation to real n, this matrix changes from negative definite to indefinite at n_N=2N+a_*+c_*N⁻¹+O(N⁻²) as N→∞, with a_*≈16.2018 and c_*≈13.5128, explaining the eventual bound n≥2N+17.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@misc{gong2026noncompactness,
  title = {{Noncompactness for the constant $Q_2N$-curvature problem}},
  author = {Liuwei Gong and Seunghyeok Kim and Juncheng Wei},
  howpublished = {arXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.07992},
  eprint = {2610.07992},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.07992},
}

RIS

TY  - UNPB
TI  - Noncompactness for the constant Q_2N-curvature problem
AU  - Liuwei Gong
AU  - Seunghyeok Kim
AU  - Juncheng Wei
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - arXiv
DO  - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.07992
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.07992
AB  - For every integer N≥4, we construct a fixed smooth, non-locally-conformally-flat metric on the n-dimensional unit sphere 𝕊^n for which the constant Q_2N-curvature equation admits an L^∞-unbounded sequence of positive solutions. The construction applies for n≥2N+20 when N=4,5, n≥2N+19 when 6≤ N≤8, n≥2N+18 when 9≤ N≤17, and n≥2N+17 when N≥18. For each L ∈ ℕ ∪ {0}, the metric can be chosen arbitrarily close to the round metric in the C^L norm. It can also be chosen to have a coercive GJMS operator, a strictly positive Green function, and positive Green function mass wherever the Weyl tensor and its covariant derivatives through order ⌊(n−2N−4)/2⌋ vanish. Together with the known cases N=1,2,3, this establishes noncompactness at every order and proves the sharpness of the companion compactness ranges under the same operator and mass hypotheses. The construction relies on our formula for the fixed-volume Hessian of total Q_2N-curvature in transverse-traceless (TT) directions at closed Einstein metrics with Ric=(n−1)g. For every N ∈ ℕ and n>2N, this Hessian is represented by a degree-N polynomial in the Lichnerowicz Laplacian, extending Matsumoto's formula for n=2N. For the metric perturbations generated by a fixed algebraic Weyl tensor, the quadratic reduced energy with fixed bubble center is a positive multiple of this Hessian restricted to a four-dimensional TT space. Differentiation in the bubble scale yields a finite matrix whose exact sign analysis establishes the required indefiniteness in the stated dimension ranges. After continuation to real n, this matrix changes from negative definite to indefinite at n_N=2N+a_*+c_*N^−1+O(N^−2) as N→∞, with a_*≈16.2018 and c_*≈13.5128, explaining the eventual bound n≥2N+17.
ER  -

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