Differential topological restrictions by curvature and symmetry (Q1392741): Difference between revisions

From MaRDI portal
Set OpenAlex properties.
Normalize DOI.
 
(3 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Property / DOI
 
Property / DOI: 10.4310/jdg/1214460549 / rank
Normal rank
 
Property / full work available at URL
 
Property / full work available at URL: https://doi.org/10.4310/jdg/1214460549 / rank
Normal rank
 
Property / OpenAlex ID
 
Property / OpenAlex ID: W1579016548 / rank
Normal rank
 
Property / full work available at URL
 
Property / full work available at URL: https://doi.org/10.4310/jdg/1214460549 / rank
 
Normal rank
Property / OpenAlex ID
 
Property / OpenAlex ID: W1579016548 / rank
 
Normal rank
Property / Wikidata QID
 
Property / Wikidata QID: Q115174938 / rank
 
Normal rank
Property / DOI
 
Property / DOI: 10.4310/JDG/1214460549 / rank
 
Normal rank

Latest revision as of 19:20, 10 December 2024

scientific article
Language Label Description Also known as
English
Differential topological restrictions by curvature and symmetry
scientific article

    Statements

    Differential topological restrictions by curvature and symmetry (English)
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    23 January 2000
    0 references
    The aim of the paper is to classify pairs \((M,G)\) where \(M\) is a compact Riemannian manifold of positive sectional curvature and \(G\) a large compact Lie group acting almost effectively and isometrically on \(M\). In the first part (Section 2), ``large'' means ``fixed point homogeneous'', i.e., \(G\) acts transitively on all directions in a normal space of the fixed point set \(M^G\) and, if \(M^G = \emptyset\), it acts transitively on \(M\). Such actions are classified in Theorem 2.8; in particular, it is shown that the only spaces \(M\) which occur are covered by a rank-one symmetric space. In the second part (Section 3) a ``large'' action is defined by a dimensional restriction. By a previous result of the authors on torus actions [\textit{K. Grove} and \textit{C. Searle}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 91, 137-142 (1994; Zbl 0793.53040)] it remains to consider (semi-)simple groups. One observes that any simple compact Lie group \(G\) other than \(E_6, E_7, E_8\) acts transitively on a space of positive curvature \(G/H\) where \(H \subset G\) is a proper subgroup of maximal dimension. The main result now is as follows. If \(G\) acts on any positively curved space \(M\) whose dimension is not more than about twice \(\dim(G/H)\), then \(M\) is still diffeomorphic to a homogeneous space of positive curvature. This restricts the possibilities of finding new spaces of positive curvature with large isometry groups. The proof consists in a case-by-case study of all possible principal isotropy subgroups of \(G\) not contradicting the dimension constraint; it turns out that only fixed point homogeneous or cohomogeneity-one actions remain. The basic geometric ideas which made the classifications possible are discussed in Section 1; the fact that the orbit space \(M/G\) is an Alexandrov space of positive curvature is heavily exploited.
    0 references
    positive curvature
    0 references
    Lie group actions
    0 references
    orbit spaces
    0 references
    Alexandrov spaces
    0 references

    Identifiers