We study isometric Lie group actions on symmetric spaces admitting a section, i.e., a submanifold that meets all orbits orthogonally at every intersection point. We classify such actions on the compact symmetric spaces with simple isometry group and rank greater than one. In particular, we show that these actions are hyperpolar, i.e., the sections are flat.

We study adiabatic limits of Ricci-flat K¨ahler metrics on a Calabi-Yau manifold which is the total space of a holomorphic fibration when the volume of the fibers goes to zero. By establishing some new a priori estimates for the relevant complex Monge-Amp`ere equation, we show that the Ricci-flat metrics collapse (away from the singular fibers) to a metric on the base of the fibration. This metric has Ricci curvature equal to a WeilPetersson metric that measures the variation of complex structure of the Calabi-Yau fibers. This generalizes results of Gross-Wilson for K3 surfaces to higher dimensions.

F. Labourie [arXiv:1212.5015] characterized the Hitchin components for PSL(n,R) for any n>1 by using the swapping algebra, where the swapping algebra should be understood as a ring equipped with a Poisson bracket. We introduce the rank n swapping algebra, which is the quotient of the swapping algebra by the (n+1)×(n+1) determinant relations. The main results are the well-definedness of the rank n swapping algebra and the "cross-ratio" in its fraction algebra. As a consequence, we use the sub fraction algebra of the rank n swapping algebra generated by these "cross-ratios" to characterize the PSL(n,R) Hitchin component for a fixed n>1. We also show the relation between the rank 2 swapping algebra and the cluster X space.

In this paper we derive optimal growth estimates on the potential functions of complete noncompact shrinking solitons. Based on this, we prove that a complete noncompact gradient shrinking Ricci soliton has at most Euclidean volume growth. This latter result can be viewed as an analog of the well-known volume comparison theorem of Bishop that a complete noncompact Riemannian manifold with nonnegative Ricci curvature has at most Euclidean volume growth.

We study the Plateau Problem of finding an area minimizing disk bounding a given Jordan curve in Alexandrov spaces with curvature ≥ κ. These are complete metric spaces with a lower curvature bound given in terms of triangle comparison. Imposing an additional condition that is satisfied by all Alexandrov spaces according to a conjecture of Perel’man, we develop a harmonic map theory from two dimensional domains into these spaces. In particular, we show that the solution to the Dirichlet problem from a disk is H¨older continuous in the interior and continuous up to the boundary. Using this theory, we solve the Plateau Problem in this setting generalizing classical results in Euclidean space (due to J. Douglas and T. Rado) and in Riemannian manifolds (due to C.B. Morrey).