Generalized Obata theorem and its applications on foliations

We prove the generalized Obata theorem on foliations. Let M be a complete Riemannian manifold with a foliation F of codimension q⩾2 and a bundle-like metric gM. Then (M,F) is transversally isometric to (Sq(1/c),G), where Sq(1/c) is the q-sphere of radius 1/c in (q+1)-dimensional Euclidean space and G is a discrete subgroup of the orthogonal group O(q), if and only if there exists a non-constant basic function f such that for all basic normal vector fields X, where c is a positive constant and ∇ is the connection on the normal bundle. By the generalized Obata theorem, we classify such manifolds which admit transversal non-isometric conformal fields.