Cohomogeneity one solitons for the isometric flow of $G_2$-structures

We consider the existence of cohomogeneity one solitons for the isometric flow of $G_2$-structures on the following classes of torsion-free $G_2$-manifolds: the Euclidean $R^7$ with its standard $G_2$-structure, metric cylinders over Calabi-Yau 3-folds, metric cones over nearly K\"ahler 6-manifolds, and the Bryant-Salamon $G_2$-manifolds. In all cases we establish existence of global solutions to the isometric soliton equations, and determine the asymptotic behaviour of the torsion. In particular, existence of shrinking isometric solitons on $R^7$ is proved, giving support to the likely existence of type I singularities for the isometric flow. In each case, the study of the soliton equation reduces to a particular nonlinear ODE with a regular singular point, for which we provide a careful analysis. Finally, to simplify the derivation of the relevant equations in each case, we first establish several useful Riemannian geometric formulas for a general class of cohomogeneity one metrics on total spaces of vector bundles which should have much wider application, as such metrics arise often as explicit examples of special holonomy metrics.
Comment: 31 pages; revised version contains minor changes in response to referee's reports; final version to be published in Geometriae Dedicata