Finite \(C^{\infty}\)-actions are described by a single vector field (Q2449583)

This paper offers a result in the study of the inverse Galois problem: given a category \(C\) and a group \(G\), decide whether or not there exists an object \(X\) in \(C\) such that \(\Aut_C(X)\) is isomorphic to \(G\). The paper focuses on the category of vector fields on smooth manifolds. The main theorem in the paper asserts that if \(M\) is a connected \(C^\infty\) manifold of dimension at least \(2\) and \(G\) is a finite group of diffeomorphisms of \(M\), then there is a complete \(G\) invariant vector field \(X\) on \(M\) such that the map \(G\times\mathbb{R}\to\Aut(X)\) determined by the flow of \(X\) is an isomorphism. The solution to the inverse Galois problem for vector fields follows as corollary: if \(G\) is a finite group and \(m\geq 2\), then there is a connected \(C^\infty\) \(m\)-manifold and a vector field \(X\) on \(M\) such that \(\pi(\Aut(X))\) is isomorphic to \(G\).