On metrics of positive Ricci curvature conformal to MxR^m

Abstract

Let (M, g) be a closed Riemannian manifold and gE the Euclidean metric. We show that for m > 1, (M x R^m, (g + gE)) is not conformal to a positive Einstein manifold. Moreover, (M x R^m, (g + gE)) is not conformal to a Riemannian manifold of positive Ricci curvature, through a smooth, radial, positive, integrable function of R^m, for m > 1. These results are motivated by some recent questions on Yamabe constants.