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MiS Preprint
21/2009
The Metric Geometry of the Manifold of Riemannian Metrics over a Closed Manifold
Brian Clarke
Abstract
We prove that the $L^2$ Riemannian metric on the manifold of all smooth Riemannian metrics on a fixed closed, finite-dimensional manifold induces a metric space structure. As the $L^2$ metric is a weak Riemannian metric, this fact does not follow from general results. In addition, we prove several results on the exponential mapping and distance function of a weak Riemannian metric on a Hilbert/Frechet manifold. The statements are analogous to, but weaker than, what is known in the case of a Riemannian metric on a finite-dimensional manifold or a strong Riemannian metric on a Hilbert manifold.
