Cohomogeneity one manifolds with singly generated rational cohomology (Q2209879)

Let \({\mathbb{Q}}{\mathbb{P}}^n_k\) denote any smooth, simply connected, closed manifold whose rational cohomology is isomorphic to \({\mathbb{Q}}[x]/(x^{n+1})\) where the generator \(x\) has degree \(k\). If \(k\) is odd, then such a manifold is a rational sphere or a point. Other typical examples of such manifolds are simply connected, closed manifolds with the rational cohomology of a compact rank one symmetric space. Indeed, the authors call the parameters \((n,k)\) standard, if they correspond to a rank one symmetric space. It would be interesting to find highly symmetric models for \({\mathbb{Q}}{\mathbb{P}}^n_k\) with non-standard parameters. The authors provide a negative result: They show that if a \({\mathbb{Q}}{\mathbb{P}}^n_k\) admits a cohomogeneity one action, then \(n\) and \(k\) are standard. Moreover, if \(k\) is even, then the space is diffeomorphic to a rank one symmetric space, the Grassmannian \(\mathrm{SO}(2m+1)/\mathrm{SO}(2)\times \mathrm{SO}(2m-1)\) or \(\mathrm{G}_2/\mathrm{SO}(4)\). Biquotients with four-periodic rational cohomology were classified by the first author in [Geom. Dedicata 195, 121--135 (2018; Zbl 1402.57025)]. The second main result of this paper is a step toward an analogous classification for cohomogeneity one manifolds: A simply connected, closed manifold with the rational cohomology of \({\mathbb{S}}^2\times {\mathbb{H}}{\mathbb{P}}^n\) admits a cohomogeneity one action if and only if it is diffeomorphic to \({\mathbb{S}}^2\times {\mathbb{H}}{\mathbb{P}}^n\), \({\mathbb{S}}^2\times (\mathrm{G}_2/\mathrm{SO}(4))\), or the unique linear non-trivial \({\mathbb{H}}{\mathbb{P}}^n\) bundle over \({\mathbb{S}}^2\).