Criterion of proper actions for 2-step nilpotent Lie groups (Q1598365)

Let \(G\) be a simply connected nilpotent Lie group. Let \(H\) and \(L\) be two connected subgroups of \(G\). There is a conjecture due to \textit{R. L. Lipsman} [J. Lie Theory 5, 25-39 (1995; Zbl 0856.57034)], namely, \(L\) acts properly on \(G/H\) if and only if \(L\cap gHg^{-1}= \{e\}\) for any \(g\in G\). This note gives an affirmative partial answer to this conjecture. It proves that the conjecture is true if \(G\) is a 2-step nilpotent Lie group. It was \textit{T. Kobayashi} who initiated a general theory of discontinuous groups acting on \(G/H\), where \(G\) is a real reductive Lie group [Math. Ann. 285, 249-263 (1989; Zbl 0662.22008); Proceedings of the Fuji-Kawaguchiko Conference on Representation Theory of Lie Groups and Lie Algebras, World Scientific, 59-75 (1992); Algebraic and analytic methods in representation theory, Perspectives in Mathematics 17, 99-165 (1997; Zbl 0899.43005)]. If each of the triple \((G,H,L)\) is reductive, Kobayashi proved that \(L\) acts properly on \(G/H\) if and only if \(L\cap gHg^{-1}= \{e\}\) for any \(g\in G\). So, Lipsman's conjecture may be regarded as an analog to the nilpotent cases.