Isoparametric functions on exotic spheres

Abstract

This paper extends widely the work in \cite{GT13}. Existence and non-existence results of isoparametric functions on exotic spheres and Eells-Kuiper projective planes are established. In particular, every homotopy $n$-sphere ($n>4$) carries an isoparametric function (with certain metric) with 2 points as the focal set, in strong contrast to the classification of cohomogeneity one actions on homotopy spheres \cite{St96} ( only exotic Kervaire spheres admit cohomogeneity one actions besides the standard spheres ). As an application, we improve a beautiful result of Bérard-Bergery \cite{BB77} ( see also pp.234-235 of \cite{Be78} ).

18 pages. References are updated, and some typos are corrected due to the referees. To appear in Adv. Math