Geometric rationality of equal-rank Satake compactifications (Q1769979)

Let \(G\) be the group of real points of a semisimple algebraic group defined over \({\mathbb Q}\), \(K \subseteq G\) a maximal compact subgroup, and \(\Gamma \subset G\) an arithmetic subgroup. For every irreducible representation \((\sigma, U)\) of \(G\), Satake has constructed a compactification of the symmetric space \(D = G/K\). Under certain conditions, which were termed geometric rationality by Casselman, Satake also constructed a compactification of the locally symmetric space \(\Gamma\backslash D\). Geometric rationality was proved by \textit{A. Borel} [Centre Belge Rech. Math., Colloque Théor. Groupes Algébr., Bruxelles 1962, 23--40 (1962; Zbl 0161.02603)] in the case where \((\sigma,U)\) is strongly rational over \({\mathbb Q}\), and by \textit{W. L. Baily jun.} and \textit{A. Borel} [Ann. Math. (2) 84, 442--528 (1966; Zbl 0154.08602)] under certain conditions on \(D\). The first main result of the paper generalizes Borel's result and establishes geometric rationality in the case \((\sigma,U)\) is rational over \({\mathbb Q}\). The second main result generalizes the result of Baily and Borel and proves that geometric rationality holds (with some \({\mathbb Q}\)-rank 1 and 2 exceptions) in the case each real boundary component of the Satake compactification is an equal rank symmetric space.