Positive Scalar Curvature on Noncompact Manifolds and the Liouville Theorem

Abstract: Using minimal hypersurfaces, we obtain topological obstructions to admitting complete metrics with positive scalar curvature on a given class of non-compact n-manifolds with n less than 8. We show that the Liouville theorem for a locally conformally flat n-manifold of non-negative scalar curvature follows from the impossibility of there being a positive scalar curvature metric on its connect sum with the n-torus. With the recent work of Chodosh-Li, the Liouville theorem is now proved in all remaining cases. Finally, using MOTS instead of minimal hypersurfaces, we show an Initial Data Set version of these results with the Dominant Energy Scalar appearing instead of positive scalar curvature.