On harmonic and asymptotically harmonic homogeneous spaces (Q2509105): Difference between revisions

One completes the classification of Riemannian harmonic spaces in the homogeneous case. One proves that any simply connected homogeneous harmonic space is flat, or rank-one symmetric, or a nonsymmetric Damek-Ricci space. The structure of the proof is based on three steps. First, one gives a simply connected homogeneous space \(M\) which is asymptotically harmonic, one shows that \(M\) admits a simply transitive solvable Lie group of isometries \(S\). Hence, \(M\) is isometric to \(S\), endowed with a suitable left-invariant metric. Secondly it is proved that \(S\) is a semidirect product of the normal nilpotent subgroup \(N=[S,S]\) and a 1-dimensional complement \(A\). Finally, one proves that any semidirect product \(S=A.N\) as above, endowed with an asymptotically harmonic Einstein metric, has constant curvature, or is a Damek-Ricci space. Independently, Y. Nicilayevsky has obtained the latter classification under the additional assumption of non-positive sectional curvatures.