On non-parallel \(s\)-structures (Q1912319)

Riemannian manifolds equipped with a regular \(s\)-structure are treated in detail in [\textit{O. Kowalski}, Generalized symmetric spaces, Lect. Notes Math. 805, Springer-Verlag (1980; Zbl 0431.53042)]. These manifolds generalize the Riemannian symmetric spaces. For these last manifolds, the geodesic symmetries clearly provide a parallel 2-structure. In his lecture notes, O. Kowalski stated the problem whether there also exist non-parallel regular \(s\)-structures on a Riemannian symmetric space \((M,g)\). Moreover, he proved that when \(\dim M \leq 4\) there are only parallel ones and for a simply connected, 5-dimensional Riemannian symmetric space there exist non-parallel \(s\)-structures when \((M,g)\) is \(E^5\), \(S^5(r)\) or \(E^3 \times S^2(r)\). In addition, he determines on \(E^5\) a family of non-parallel 4-structures depending on a real parameter. In the paper under review the author studies the existence of non-parallel \(s\)-structures on \(E^n\) (and generalizes his result to the case when \(M\) is a CW-complex) by using methods from algebraic topology. A key result is that for \(n \geq 5\) there are only a finite number. Unfortunately, this result contradicts the one mentioned above which is also derived explicitly in [\textit{S. Wȩgrzynowski}, Czech. Math. J. 33(108), 76-94 (1983; Zbl 0546.53010)].