Lorentz manifolds with the three largest degrees of symmetry (Q1421747)

Let \(l_0(n) > l_0(n) > \dots\) be the possible dimensions of all groups of isometries of \(n\)-dimensional Lorentz manifolds, and let \(L_j(n)\) be the \(j\)-th Lorentz stratum; its elements are \(n\)-dimensional Lorentz manifolds which admit effective isometric actions of Lie groups \(K\) with \(\dim K = l_j(n)\). The author proves that \(l_0(n) = \frac12 n(n+1)\), \(l_1(n) = \frac12 n(n-1)+2\) and determines the isometry classes of Lorentz manifolds in the first two strata. In particular, the only Lorentz manifolds in \(L_0(n)\) are the Minkowski space and the Lorentz symmetric spaces of constant nonzero curvature (Wolf spaces), and for \(n\geq 4\), \(n\neq 5\) the only Lorentz manifolds in \(L_1(n)\) is the Minkowski space. The local structure of the Lorentz manifold in \(L_2(n)\), for \(n > 5\), \(n\neq 7\), is also determined; this stratum contains, in particular, the so-called \(\varepsilon\)-spaces.