Submaximal metric projective and metric affine structures (Q2636735)

Consider a linear torsion-free connection \(\Gamma\) on a smooth connected manifold \(M\) of dimension \(n\). A vector field \(v\) is called a projective symmetry, if its local flow sends geodesics to geodesics. A vector field \(v\) is called an affine symmetry, if its local flow preserves \(\Gamma\). The authors prove that the next possible dimension after the maximal \(n^2+2n\) for the Lie algebra of local projective symmetries of a metric on a manifold of dimension \(n>1\) is \(n^2-3n+5\) if the signature is Riemannian or \(n=2\), \(n^2-3n+6\) if the signature is Lorentzian and \(n>2\), and \(n^2-3n+8\) elsewise. They also prove that the Lie algebra of local affine symmetries of a metric has the same submaximal dimensions (after the maximal \(n^2+n\)) unless the signature is Riemannian and \(n=3,4\), in which case the submaximal dimension is \(n^2-3n+6\).