\(\mathrm{SL}(n,\mathbb Z)\) cannot act on small spheres (Q1009764)

It is well-known that the linear action of the group \(\text{SL}(n,{\mathbb Z})\) on \({\mathbb R}^n\) can induce a smooth faithful action of \(\text{SL}(n,{\mathbb Z})\) on \(S^{n-1}\). The paper under review studies under which conditions any smooth action of \(\text{SL}(n,{\mathbb Z})\) on a mod 2 homology \(m\)-sphere is trivial. The main result of the paper is Theorem. If \(n>2\) and \(m<n-1\), then any smooth action of a finite quotient of \(\text{SL}(n,{\mathbb Z})\) on a mod 2 homology \(m\)-sphere is trivial. As a consequence, the author obtains the following result, which was conjectured by \textit{K. Parwani} [Geom. Dedicata 112, 215--223 (2005; Zbl 1080.57034)]: Corollary. If \(n>2\) and \(m<n-1\), then any smooth action of \(\text{SL}(n,{\mathbb Z})\) on a mod 2 homology \(m\)-sphere (in particular, on \(S^m\)) is trivial.