Hyperbolic spaces, principal series, and \({\text{O}}(2,\infty )\) (Q2285067)

Let \(B_p(x)\) be the quadratic form \(\sum \limits _{j=1}^p x_j^2 - \sum \limits _{j \ge p+1}x_j^2\) on a real separable Hilbert space and the isometry group of this form is denoted by \(O(p, \infty\)). Also let \(PO(1; n)\) be the isometry group of the \(n\)-dimensional real hyperbolic space. In this article it is proved that there exists no irreducible representation of the identity component \(PO(1; n)^0\) of the group \(PO(1; n)\) into the group \(O(2; \infty)\). In [Am. J. Math. 136, No. 5, 1249--1299 (2014; Zbl 1304.53030)], \textit{N. Monod} and the first author proved that if \(2 < p < n\) and \(n > 4\), then there is no irreducible representation \(PO(1; n)^0 \to O(p; \infty)\). Also some results for the cases of complex hyperbolic and Hilbert spaces are considered. The authors suppose that some of their ideas could be used to prove the nonexistence of irreducible representations into \(O(2; \infty)\) for other groups.