The classification of global Lie wedges in \({\mathfrak {sl}} (2)\) (Q1911189)

Let \(G\) be a real Lie group with Lie algebra \({\mathfrak g}\) and \(S\) a closed subsemigroup of \(G\). Then the set of elements \(X\in {\mathfrak g}\) for which the one parameter semigroup \(\exp (\mathbb{R}^+X)\) is contained in \(S\) is a convex (tangent) cone which is invariant under the inner automorphisms coming from the largest subspace contained in the cone. Such cones are called Lie wedges. The converse problem, i.e. to find semigroups with prescribed tangent cones, has not been solved in a satisfactory way until now. In spite of the fact that one can always find such semigroups, locally there are many examples of Lie wedges that do not occur as tangent wedges of semigroups even if one adapts the definitions to non-closed semigroups (thus recapturing the correspondence between subalgebras and analytic subgroups). In this article the author solves the problem for the simply connected covering group of \(\text{Sl} (2, \mathbb{R})\). In view of previous work the main step here is to show for certain pointed cones that they cannot occur as tangent cones. Interpreting the determination of the semigroup generated by a given cone as the reachability problem for a control system this is achieved by a very clever choice of control functions.