On symmetric CR geometries of hypersurface type (Q2332271)

In previous papers by other authors, the notion of Riemannian symmetric spaces was generalized to the setting of CR geometries. The symmetry at each point is an isometric CR transformation which acts as \(-\mathrm{id}\) on the CR distribution. Homogenity of these geometries, relations with reflection spaces and with CR algebras were studied. In a previous paper the authors studied filtered geometrical structures with automorphisms acting as \(-\mathrm{id}\) on a distinguished part of the filtration at each point, namely the homogenity and relations with reflection spaces. The non-degenerate CR geometries of hypersurface type are among these geometries. In the present paper, non-degenerate CR geometries of hypersurface type are studied in more detail. The CR transformations which induce \(-\mathrm{id}\) on the CR distribution are considered, which give rise to symmetries in a more general context. In particular, the existence of a metric is not required. It is proved that non-flat non-degenerate symmetric CR geometries of hypersurface type are the CR geometries that carry a pseudo-Riemannian metric preserved by all the symmetries. Examples of flat non-degenerate symmetric CR geometries of hypersurface type that do not carry a compatible pseudo-Riemannian metric are constructed.