Grassmann Manifold G(2,8) and Complex Structure on $S^6$

Abstract

In this paper, we use Clifford algebra and the spinor calculus to study the complex structures on Euclidean space $R^8$ and the spheres $S^4,S^6$. By the spin representation of $G(2,8)\subset Spin(8)$ we show that the Grassmann manifold G(2,8) can be looked as the set of orthogonal complex structures on $R^8$. In this way, we show that G(2,8) and $CP^{3}$ can be looked as twistor spaces of $S^6$ and $S^4$ respectively. Then we show that there is no almost complex structure on sphere $S^4$ and there is no orthogonal complex structure on the sphere $S^6$.