Differential geometry of \(\textsf{SO}^\ast(2n)\)-type structures (Q2088030)

According to the authors, this paper is the first in a series of papers studying the differential geometry of \(4n\)-dimensional manifolds, with \(n>1\), admitting a reduction of the frame bundle to the Lie subgroups \(\mathrm{SO}^*(2n)\), or \(\mathrm{SO}^*(2n)\mathrm{Sp}(1)\), of \(\mathrm{GL}(4n,\mathbb{R})\). Here \(\mathrm{SO}^*(2n)\) denotes the quaternionic real form \(\mathrm{SO}(2n, \mathbb{C})\), and \(\mathrm{SO}^*(2n)\mathrm{Sp}(1)\) denotes the Lie group \(\mathrm{SO}^*(2n)\times_{\mathbb{Z}_2}\mathrm{Sp}(1)\). The resulting \(G\)-structures are symplectic analogues of the so-called almost hypercomplex/quaternionic-Hermitian structures, which have been studied among others by \textit{S. Salamon} [Invent. Math. 67, 143--171 (1982; Zbl 0486.53048)]. The authors term their new structures hypercomplex/quarternionic skew-Hermition structures, and they present several equivalent definitions of the structures. Using a formalism established by \textit{S. Salamon} [loc. cit.], they present the intrinsic torsion of the structures, and they also construct explicit adapted connections to the structures.