We prove the spacetime positive mass theorem in dimensions less than eight. This theorem asserts that for any asymptotically flat initial data set that satisfies the dominant energy condition, the inequality E>=|P| holds, where (E, P) is the ADM energy-momentum vector. Previously, this theorem was only known for spin manifolds [38]. Our approach is a modification of the minimal hypersurface technique that was used by the last named author and S.-T. Yau to establish the time-symmetric case of this theorem [30, 27]. Instead of minimal hypersurfaces, we use marginally outer trapped hypersurfaces (MOTS) whose existence is guaranteed by earlier work of the first named author [14]. An important part of our proof is to introduce an appropriate substitute for the area functional that is used in the time-symmetric case to single out certain minimal hypersurfaces. We also establish a density theorem of independent interest and use it to reduce the general case of the spacetime positive mass theorem to the special case of initial data that has harmonic asymptotics and satisfies the strict dominant energy condition.

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A familiar anomaly affects SU(2) gauge theory in four dimensions: a theory with an odd number of fermion multiplets in the spin 1/2 representation of the gauge group, and more generally in representations of spin 2r+1/2, is inconsistent. We describe here a more subtle anomaly that can affect SU(2) gauge theory in four dimensions under the condition that fermions transform with half-integer spin under SU(2) and bosons with integer spin. Such a theory, formulated in a way that requires no choice of spin structure, and with an odd number of fermion multiplets in representations of spin 4r+3/2, is inconsistent. The theory is consistent if one picks a spin or spin_c structure. Under Higgsing to U(1), the new SU(2) anomaly reduces to a known anomaly of "all-fermion electrodynamics." Like that theory, an SU(2) theory with an odd number of fermion multiplets in representations of spin 4r+3/2 can provide a boundary state for a five-dimensional gapped theory whose partition function on a closed five-manifold Y is (−1)^{∫_Y w2w3}. All statements have analogs with SU(2) replaced by Sp(2N). There is also an analog in five dimensions.

In this paper, we establish an analytic foundation for a fully non-linear equation 2 1 = f on manifolds with metrics of positive scalar curvature and apply it to give a (rough) classification of such manifolds. A crucial point is a simple observation that this equation is a degenerate elliptic equation without any condition on the sign of f and it is elliptic not only for f > 0 but also for f < 0. By defining a Yamabe constant Y2,1 with respect to this equation, we show that a manifold with metrics of positive scalar curvature admits a conformal metric of positive scalar curvature and positive 2-scalar curvature if and only if Y2,1 > 0. We give a complete solution for the corresponding Yamabe problem. Namely, let g0 be a positive scalar curvature metric, then in its conformal class there is a conformal metric with 2(g) = 1(g), for some constant . Using these analytic results, we give a rough classification of the space of manifolds with metrics of positive scalar curvature.

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