Quasi-linear actions on spheres (Q1198796)

Let \(G\) be a compact Lie group, and \(\alpha: G\to O_{n+1}\) an orthogonal representation of \(G\) on \(\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\). Consider an embedding \(e: S^ n\to\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\) such that \(X=e(S^ n)\) is \(G\) invariant and \(X\) surrounds 0. We say that \(G\) acts quasi-linearly on \(X\) and that the action is associated with the linear action on \(S^ n\). The action on \(S^ n\) is also denoted by \(\alpha\). The author addresses three questions: (1) Is every quasi-linear action differentiably conjugate to the linear action it is associated with? (2) Is every quasi-linear action topologically conjugate to the linear action it is associated with? (3) Are all actions of \(G\) on \(S^ n\) differentiably (or topologically) conjugate to a quasi-linear action? The results of the paper focus on free action of cyclic groups, \(S^ 1\), and \(S^ 3\). E.g., Theorem. (1) If \(q=2,3,4\), or 6, all quasi-linear, free actions of \(C_ q\) on \(S^ n\) (for \(n\geq 5)\) are differentiably conjugate to the linear action they are associated with. (2) Suppose \(q=5\) or \(\geq 7\), \(\alpha\) is a free action of \(C_ q\) on \(S^ n\), and \(n\geq 5\). Then there exist infinitely many quasi-linear actions of \(C_ q\) on \(S^ n\) associated with \(\alpha\), no two of which are topologically conjugate to each other. Theorem. (1) Every free action of \(S^ 1\) on \(S^ 3\) is differentiably conjugate to the standard action. (2) Every quasi-linear, free action of \(S^ 1\) on \(S^ n\) \((n\geq 7)\) is differentiably conjugate to the standard action. (3) Every free action of \(S^ 1\) on \(S^ 5\) is differentiably conjugate to a quasi-linear action and topologically conjugate to the standard action. (4) The set of differentiable conjugacy classes of free quasi-linear actions of \(S^ 1\) on \(S^ 5\) surjects on the set of diffeomorphism classes of differentiable structures on \(\mathbb{C} P^ 2\). The preimages of this surjection have at most two elements. There is a result, similar to the previous theorem, for \(S^ 3\) actions.