Let M be a complete non-compact Riemannian manifold whose sectional curvature is bounded between two constants-k and K. Then one expects that the heat diffusion in such a manifold behaves like the heat diffusion in Euclidean space. The purpose of this paper is to give a justi-fication of such a statement.

Let n be an integer such that 25≤n≤51. We construct a smooth metric g on Sn with the property that the set of constant scalar curvature metrics in the conformal class of g is not compact.

We develop a theory to connect the following three areas: (a) the mean field equations on flat tori, (b) the classical Lame equations and (c) modular forms. A major theme in part I is a classification of developing maps f attached to solutions of the mean field equation according to the types of transformation laws (or monodromy) with respect to the period lattice satisfied by f.

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