Stable kinematic planes and sharply 2-transitive Lie groups (Q1818763)

Every group \(G\) with a partition \(P\) into subgroups gives rise to a linear space, by considering the elements of \(G\) as points, and the (left) cosets of the elements of \(P\) as lines. Partitions \(P\) which are invariant under conjugation lead to kinematic spaces [cp. \textit{L. Bröcker}, Geom. Dedicata 1, 241-278 (1973; Zbl 0249.50014)]. If \(G\) is a locally compact connected topological group with a partition \(P\) consisting of closed proper subgroups with at least 3 elements, then \(G\) is a Lie group, and the possibilities for \(G\) are severely restricted [see \textit{P. Plaumann} and \textit{K. Strambach}, Forum Math. 2, No. 6, 523-578 (1990; Zbl 0722.22005)] and \textit{Yu. N. Mukhin} [Investigations in group theory, Collect. Artic. Sverdlowsk: Uralskij Nauchnyj Tsentr AN SSSR, 120-130 (1984; Zbl 0594.22004)]. The author proves that a connected Lie group \(G\) with such a partition \(P\) is uniquely determined by its infinitesimal model, i.e. the Lie algebra of \(G\) together with the partition into subalgebras induced of \(P\). Stable partitions are defined by the requirement that the corresponding linear space is a stable plane (in the sense of \textit{R. Löwen}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 343, 108-122 (1983; Zbl 0524.57011)) [cp. also \textit{Th. Grundhöfer} and \textit{R. Löwen}, Handbook of incidence geometry, 1255-1324 (1995; Zbl 0824.51011)]. The author develops a local theory of stable kinetic planes, which culminates in a local classification result: every infinitesimal stable kinematic plane is either abelian, or isomorphic to a plane of this type derived from a locally compact connected nearfield; these nearfields are explicitly known [see \textit{F. Kalscheuer}, Abh. Math. Semin. Hamburg 13, 413-435 (1940; Zbl 0023.00602) and \textit{J. Tits}, Comment. Math. Helv. 30, 234-240 (1956; Zbl 0070.02505)]. This result leads to a global classification of all stable kinematic planes (thus solving a problem in \textit{M. Stroppel} [Point-regular geometries, Preprint TH Darmstadt No. 1743 (1995)], see also J. Geom. 59, No. 1-2, 173-181 (1997; Zbl 0884.51002)].