We show that, for all nonnegative integers k, Г, m and n, theYamabe invariant of #k(RP3)#Г(RP2 】 S1)#m(S2 】 S1)#n(S2. 】S1) is equal to the Yamabe invariant of RP3, provided k + Г ∶ 1. We then complete the classification (started by Bray and the second author) of all closed 3-manifolds with Yamabe invariant greater than that of RP3. More precisely, we show that such manifolds are either S3 or finite connected sums #m(S2 】 S1)#n(S2. 】S1),where S2. 】S1 is the nonorientable S2-bundle over S1. A key ingredient is Aubin’s Lemma [3], which says that if the Yamabe constant is positive, then it is strictly less than the Yam- abe constant of any of its non-trivial finite conformal coverings. This lemma, combined with inverse mean curvature flow and with analysis of the Green’s function for the conformal Laplacians on specific finite and normal infinite Riemannian coverings, will allow us to construct a family of nice test functions on the finite coverings and thus prove the desired result.

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.

In this paper we study the Dirichlet problem for fully nonlinear second-order equations on a riemannian manifold. As in our previous paper [HL4], we define equations via closed subsets of the 2-jet bundle where each equation has a natural dual equation. Basic existence and uniqueness theorems are established in a wide variety of settings. However, the emphasis is on starting with a constant coefficient equation as a model, which then universally determines an equation on every riemannian manifold which is equipped with a topological reduction of the structure group to the invariance group of the model. For example, this covers all branches of the homogeneous complex Monge-Amp`ere equation on an almost complex hermitian manifold X. In general, for an equation F on a manifold X and a smooth domain  X, we give geometric conditions which imply that the Dirichlet problem on is uniquely solvable for all continuous boundary functions. We begin by introducing a weakened form of comparison which has the advantage that local implies global. We then introduce two fundamental concepts. The first is the notion of a monotonicity cone M for F. If X carries a global Msubharmonic function, then weak comparison implies full comparison. The second notion is that of boundary F-convexity, which is defined in terms of the asymptotics of F and is used to define barriers. In combining these notions the Dirichlet problem becomes uniquely solvable as claimed. This article also introduces the notion of local affine jet-equivalence for subequations. It is used in treating the cases above, but gives results for a much broader spectrum of equations on manifolds, including inhomogeneous equations and the Calabi-Yau equation on almost complex hermitian manifolds. A considerable portion of the paper is concerned with specific examples. They include a wide variety of equations which make sense on any riemannian manifold, and many which hold universally on almost complex or quaternionic hermitian manifolds, or topologically calibrated manifolds.

We provide an exhaustive description of all simply connected positively curved cohomogeneity one manifolds. The description yields a complete classification in all dimensions but 7, where in addition to known examples, our list contains one exceptional space and two infinite families not yet known to carry metrics of positive curvature. The infinite families also carry a 3-Sasakian metric of cohomogeneity one, which is associated to a family of selfdual Einstein orbifold metrics on the 4-sphere constructed by Hitchin.

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).