Subsemigroups of semisimple Lie groups (Q2353477): Difference between revisions

Let \(G\) be a connected semisimple Lie group with finite center. It was proved by \textit{H. Auerbach} that \(G\) is generated by two elements as a topological group [Stud. Math. 5, 43--49 (1934; Zbl 0013.15004)], and it was proved by \textit{M. Kuranishi} that \(G\) is generated by two one-parameter groups as an abstract group [Kōdai Math. Semin. Rep. 1949, 89--90 (1949; Zbl 0045.00702)]. In [J. Algebra 328, No. 1, 114--121 (2011; Zbl 1220.22005)], the author and \textit{E. B. Vinberg} showed that for each \(g\in G\) which is not contained in any proper normal subgroup of \(G\), there is a one-dimensional compact torus \(T\) in \(G\) such that \(G\) is generated by \(T\) and \(gTg^{-1}\) as a group. In the paper under review, the author proves similar results in the setting of semi-groups, which is stronger than the previous results. More precisely, in Theorem 1 of the paper, the author proves that for each \(X\in \mathfrak g:=\mathrm{Lie}(G)\) which is contained in no proper ideal of \(\mathfrak g\), there is an element \(h\in G\), arbitrary close to \(\exp(-X)\), such that \(G\) is generated by \(h\) and \(\{\exp(tX)\mid t>0\}\) as a semigroup, and there is an element \(Y\in \mathfrak g\), arbitrary close to \(-X\), such that \(G\) is generated by \(\{\exp(tX)\mid t>0\}\) and \(\{\exp(tY)\mid t>0\}\) as a semigroup. In Theorem 2, the author proves that for each \(g\in G\) which is contained in no proper normal subgroup of \(G\), there is an element \(X\in \mathfrak g\) such that \(G\) is generated by \(g\) and \(\{\exp(tX)\mid t>0\}\) as a semigroup, and there is an element \(h\in G\), arbitrary close to \(g^{-1}\), such that the semigroup generated by \(g\) and \(h\) is a dense subgroup of \(G\). More precise results are obtained when \(G\) equals \(\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb R)\) or its universal covering. As preparations for the proof of the main theorems, some results on submanifolds of subsemigroups and on exponentiality are obtained.