A splitting theorem for isoparametric submanifolds in Hilbert space (Q1364625)

Isoparametric submanifolds of Euclidean space, which are in some sense the submanifolds with the simplest relative geometry, have been studied for a long time and by many authors. Isoparametric submanifolds of Hilbert space are in contrast a fairly new subject. They are not only very interesting by themselves -- a beautiful structure theory has been developed by \textit{C.-L. Terng} [J. Differ. Geom. 29, 9-47 (1989; Zbl 0674.58004)] -- but they are also an indispensible tool in studying certain isoparametric type submanifolds (also called equifocal) of symmetric spaces since these can be ``lifted'' to an isoparametric submanifold in a Hilbert space. To each isoparametric submanifold in Hilbert space there is associated an affine Weyl group operating on a fixed normal space and which is generated by the reflections in the focal hyperplanes. It has been conjectured that the action of this Weyl group is irreducible if and only if the embedding of the isoparametric submanifold is indecomposable up to an affine subspace as direct factor. The main purpose of this paper is to prove this conjecture. Applications are given to hyperpolar actions on symmetric spaces (whose principal orbits are always equifocal). A further application will appear in a forthcoming paper by \textit{H. Ewert} entitled ``A splitting theorem for equifocal submanifolds'' (to appear in Proc. Am. Math. Soc.).