Homogeneous Einstein Metrics and Butterflies

Abstract

M.~M.~Graev associated in \cite{Gr} to a compact homogeneous space $G/H$ a nerve $\XGH$, whose non-contractibility implies the existence of a $G$-invariant Einstein metric on $G/H$. The nerve $\XGH$ is a compact semi-algebraic set, defined purely Lie theoretically by intermediate subgroups. In this paper we present a detailed description of the work of Graev and the curvature estimates of \cite{Bo}.