Geometric properties of Heisenberg-type groups (Q1074139)

Let v, z be real Euclidean spaces and suppose \(j: z\to End(v)\) is a linear mapping such that \(| j(Y)X| =| Y| | X|\), \(j(Y)^ 2=-| Y|^ 2 I\) where \(X\in v\), \(Y\in z\). A Lie algebra structure of type H on \(n=v+z\) is defined by asking that z is the center and for X,X'\(\in v\) and all \(Y\in z\), \(<Y,[X,X']>=<j(Y)X,X'>\). A simply connected Lie group N is of type H if its Lie algebra is of type H. The Heisenberg group and the nilpotent part in the Iwasawa decomposition of a semisimple Lie group of real rank one are examples of Lie groups of type H. The author studies the properties of a certain ''Riemannian metric'' \((M_ 0)\) on N (in which some tangent vectors can have infinite length) inducing on N the arc length defined by a certain distance on N [\textit{J. Cygan}, Colloq. Math. 39, 367-373 (1978; Zbl 0409.60075)]. If \(g=\exp (X+Y),\) \(X\in v\), \(Y\in z\) then \(| g| =(| X|^ 4+16 | Y|^ 2)^{1/4}\) and \(d(g,h)=| h^{-1}g|\). If we consider the Riemannian metric \((M_ c)\) on N defined by \(\| X+Y\|_ c=(| X|^ 2+c^{-2} | Y|^ 2)^{1/2}\) then let \((M_ 0)\) be the limit of \((M_ c)\) as \(c\to 0\). The author studies the geodesics with respect to the metrics \((M_ c)\) and their limits as \(c\to 0\). Some other applications are given.