Comparison of total $\sigma_k$-curvature

Abstract

Volume comparison theorem is a type of fundamental results in Riemannian geometry. In this article, we extend the volume comparison result in \cite{Besse2008} to the comparison of total $\sigma_l$-curvature with respect to $\sigma_k$-curvature ($l<k$). In particular, we prove the comparison holds for metrics close to strictly stable positive Einstein metric with $l<\frac{n}{2}$. As for negative Einstein metrics, we prove a similar comparison result provided certain assumptions on sectional curvature holds for the manifold.