On the homotopy type of the space $\mathcal{R}^+(M)$

Abstract

we show that the space of metrics of positive scalar curvature on a manifold is, when nonempty, homotopy equivalent to a space of metrics of positive scalar curvature that restrict to a fixed metric near a given submanifold of codimension greater or equal than 3. Our main tool is a parameterized version of the Gromov-Lawson construction, which was used to show that the existence of a metric of positive scalar curvature on a manifold was invariant under surgeries in codimension greater or equal than 3.