Isospectral deformations of the Lagrangian Grassmannians (Q2477556)

Let \(G=SU(n)\) and \(K=SO(n)\). We denote by \(K_S\) the subgroup of \(G\) defined by \(K_S=\{e^{i\pi k/n}B\mid k\in{\mathbb Z}\), \(B\in \text{SO}(n)\}\). Then \(Y=G/K_S\) is a quotient of \(X=G/K\) and is an irreducible symmetric space of rank \(n-1\), which is called the reduced Lagrangian Grassmannian. Let \(I(X)\) denote the space of infinitesimal isospectral deformation of \(X\), consisting of all symmetric 2-forms \(h\) satisfying the Guillemin condition and \(\operatorname{div}\;h=0\). The authors obtain explicitly a subspace of \(I(X)\) isomorphic to the infinite-dimensional space of real valued functions on \(X\) orthogonal to a finite dimensional space. Then, by using an induced relation between \(I(X)\) and \(I(Y)\), they prove that \(I(Y)\) does not vanish, or \(Y\) is not rigid in the sense of Guillemin. This is the first example of an irreducible symmetric space of arbitrary rank \(\geq2\), which is reduced and non rigid.