Grassmann geometry on the 3-dimensional Heisenberg group (Q2574438)

Denote by \(H\) the 3-dimensional simply connected Heisenberg group equipped with a left-invariant Riemannian metric. Then there exist an orthonormal basis \(\{E_1,E_2,E_3\}\) in the Lie algebra of \(H\) and a real number \(c>0\) such that \([E_1,E_2]=cE_3\) and \([E_1,E_3]=[E_2,E_3]=0\). Next, denote by \(G^2(TH)\) the Grassmann bundle of 2-planes in the tangent spaces at the points of \(H\). Then the sectional curvature defines a function \(K\colon G^2(TH)\to{\mathbb R}\). On the other hand, the manifold \(G^2(TH)\) is naturally acted on by the connected component of the identity in the isometry group of \(H\). The orbits of this action are parameterized by the (constant) values of the function \(K\) on these orbits, and the set of values of \(K\) is equal to the interval \([-3c^2/4,3c^2/4]\) (proposition~2.1 in the paper under review); for any value \(\alpha\in[-3c^2/4,3c^2/4]\) one denotes by \({\mathcal O}(\alpha)\) the corresponding orbit. Now, if \(\Sigma\) stands for any of these orbits, then the \(\Sigma\)-geometry is defined as the set of all connected surfaces \(S\) in \(H\) such that all tangent planes to \(S\) belong to the orbit \(\Sigma\). Actually there exist no surfaces in the \({\mathcal O}(-3c^2/4)\)-geometry (theorem~2.3 in the paper). However the situation is different for instance in the case of the \({\mathcal O}(c^2/4)\)-geometry: here every surface is a Hopf cylinder (theorem~3.2 and the remark following it). Also, if \(-3c^2/4<\alpha<c^2/4\), then there exist surfaces in the \({\mathcal O}(\alpha)\)-geometry and several of their geometric properties, particularly curvature properties, are described in the last section of the paper (proposition 4.1 and theorems 4.5 and 4.6).