Dolbeault cohomology for almost complex manifolds

Abstract

This paper extends Dolbeault cohomology and its surrounding theory to arbitrary almost complex manifolds. We define a spectral sequence converging to ordinary cohomology, whose first page is the Dolbeault cohomology, and develop a harmonic theory which injects into Dolbeault cohomology. Lie-theoretic analogues of the theory are developed which yield important calculational tools for Lie groups and nilmanifolds. Finally, we study applications to maximally non-integrable manifolds, including nearly K\"ahler $6$-manifolds, and show Dolbeault cohomology can be used to prohibit the existence of nearly K\"ahler metrics.