Polar representations of compact groups and convex hulls of their orbits (Q988752): Difference between revisions

Let \(V\) be a finite-dimensional Euclidean vector space and \(G \leq \text{GL}(V)\) a compact linear group. Then \(G\) is said to be polar if there is a subspace \(A\leq V\) intersecting every \(G\)-orbit orthogonally. The global stabilizer \(G_A\) induces on \(A\) the (finite) Weyl group \(W\) associated with \(G\). Several geometric characterizations of polar groups are known, see \textit{J.-H. Eschenburg} and \textit{E. Heintze} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 507, 93--106 (1999; Zbl 0913.22009); Math. Z. 232, No.~3, 391--398 (1999; Zbl 0943.22014)] and \textit{A. Kollross} [Ann. Global Anal. Geom. 23, No.~1, 93--100 (2003; Zbl 1029.22018)]. Here the author shows that \(G\) is polar and its Weyl group is a Coxeter group (i.e., generated by hyperplane reflections), if and only if the convex hulls of the \(G\)-orbits form a semigroup with respect to Minkowski addition. Call the latter condition SP; then the result implies that a finite group satisfies SP if and only if it is a Coxeter group. For connected polar groups \(G\) the Weyl group is known to be a Coxeter group. Hence in the connected case, SP characterizes polar groups. The main step in the proof of the main result is to show that intersection with \(A\) furnishes an isomorphism from the semigroup of \(G\)-invariant convex subsets of \(V\) onto the semigroup of \(W\)-invariant convex subsets of \(A\). For finite groups \(G\), two more equivalent conditions for being a Coxeter group are given. They concern regular elements \(v \in V\) (i.e., those with minimal stabilizers). One condition is that for regular \(v\), the mapping \(u\mapsto \langle v,u\rangle\) assumes its maximum on any \(G\)-orbit only at a unique point. The other condition is that the cone \(C_v = \{u; \langle u, v-gv\rangle\geq 0 \;\text{for all} \;g\in G\}\) is a locally constant function of \(v\) for regular \(v \in V\).