An amenability-like property of finite energy path and loop groups (Q2223429)

By [\textit{P. de la Harpe}, Lect. Notes Math. 725, 220--227 (1979; Zbl 0402.46037)], a topological group \(G\) is called amenable if every continuous action of \(G\) on a compact space admits an invariant regular Borel probability measure. Equivalently, the space \(RUCB(G)\) of bounded right uniformly continuous functions on \(G\) admits a left-invariant mean. Also, in the paper under review, according to a suggestion by Martin Schneider, the authors call a topological group \(G\) admitting a left-invariant mean on the space \(LUCB(G)\), skew-amenable. In [\textit{A.~Carey} and \textit{H.~Grundling}, Lett. Math. Phys. 68, No.~2, 113--120 (2004; Zbl 1079.43003], the question is raised that if for a compact Riemannian manifold \(X\), the groups \(C^k (X,\mathrm{SU}(n)),\) \(C^\infty(X,\mathrm{SU}(n)),\) and \(H^k (X,\mathrm{SU}(n))\) with their natural group topologies are amenable. Also, there is an example of the group of gauge transformations (\(C_0 (I,\mathrm{SU}(n)\)) with the relative weak topology, where \(I = [0, 1]\)) which is not only amenable, but skew-amenable as well. By considering the above open question, and the mentioned example, the paper under review aims to study groups of finite energy paths and loops (those of Sobolev class \(H^1 = W^1_ 2\), strictly intermediate between \(C^ 0\) and \(C^1\)). Indeed, as a main result, the authors show that for a compact connected Lie group \(K\), the topological groups of finite energy paths \(H^1 (I,K),\) loops \(H^1 (S^1 ,K),\) based paths \(H^1_0 (I,K) \), and based loops \(H^1_0 (S^1 ,K),\) as well as their central extensions, admit a left-invariant mean on the space of left uniformly continuous bounded functions. Also, the authors raise the following question that if for a compact Lie group \(K\), and a principal smooth $K$-fibre bundle \(P\), the groups of vertical automorphisms of \(P\) of classes \(C^k\), \(H^k\), \(k \geq 0,\) and \(C^\infty\) with the corresponding topologies are skew-amenable.