On the decomposition of global conformal invariants II

Abstract

This paper is a continuation of [2], where we complete our partial proof of the Deser-Schwimmer conjecture on the structure of ``global conformal invariants''. Our theorem deals with such invariants P(g^n) that locally depend only on the curvature tensor R_{ijkl} (without covariant derivatives). In [2] we developed a powerful tool, the ``super divergence formula'' which applies to any Riemannian operator that always integrates to zero on compact manifolds. In particular, it applies to the operator I_{g^n}(\phi) that measures the ``non-conformally invariant part'' of P(g^n). This paper resolves the problem of using this information we have obtained on the structure of I_{g^n}(\phi) to understand the structure of P(g^n).