The complex cross ratio on the Heisenberg group (Q1099261): Difference between revisions

The Heisenberg group \(H_ n\) is taken here as the set of pairs \(g=[t,z]\in R\times C^ n\) with product \([t,z][t',z']=[t+t'+2Im zz',z+z']\). Write \(A(g)=| z|^ 2+it\). Define the complex cross- ratio for distinct points \(g_ 1,g_ 2,g_ 3,g_ 4\) in \(H_ n\) as \[ (g_ 1,g_ 2,g_ 3,g_ 4)=A(g_ 3^{-1}g_ 1)/A(g_ 4^{-1}g_ 1):A(g_ 3^{-1\quad}g_ 2)/A(g_ 4^{-1}g_ 2). \] The absolute value of the complex cross-ratio is called the real cross-ratio. If \(s>0\), let \(a_ s\) denote the automorphism [t,z]\(\to [s\) 2t,sz] of \(H_ n\). Denote the group of all \(a_ s\) by A. Write \[ h([t,z])=[-t/(| z|^ 4+t^ 2)\cdot -z/(| z|^ 2-it)]. \] The group M of automorphisms of \(H_ n\) is given by unitary matrices m acting according to \([t,z]\to [t,m(z)]\). Define a map \(\tilde m\) by \(\tilde m([t,z])=[- t,\bar z]\). \(H_ n\) acting on itself by left-translations together with A, M and h generates a group G of transformations of \(H_ n\cup \{\infty \}\). The group generated by G and \(\tilde m\) is denoted by \(\tilde G.\) The main result is an elementary, direct proof of the Theorem: If a map \(\gamma\) of \(H_ n\cup \{\infty \}\) into itself preserves the real (resp. complex) cross-ratio, then \(\gamma\in \tilde G\) (resp. \(\gamma\in G)\). A final section deals with several applications of the complex cross-ratio to the geometry of the sphere \(S^{2n+1}\); in particular, the geometric interpretation of the conditions \((g_ 1,g_ 2,g_ 3,g_ 4)>0\) and \(<0\).