On a class of compact homogeneous spaces. II (Q2639385)

This paper is a continuation of the first part [Ann. Global Anal. Geom. 6, No.2, 119-140 (1988; Zbl 0635.57025)]. If K is a compact connected semisimple Lie group and L its connected subgroup of maximal rank, then the homogeneous space K/L is defined uniquely up to an ``almost isomorphism'' by a pair (R,U), where R is the root system of K and U a regular subsystem. Note that L is a subgroup of maximal rank of K if and only if the Euler characteristic of the manifold K/L is positive. This concept of an almost isomorphy of homogeneous spaces, defined in the first part, is generalized to the case of non-connected isotropy subgroups. There exists a bijection of the set of classes of almost isomorphic compact connected homogeneous spaces of positive Euler characteristic onto the set of isomorphic triplets (R,U,\(\Lambda\)), where R is a root system, U a regular subsystem and \(\Lambda\) a group, defined in terms of the Weyl group W(R). Assuming that the homogeneous space is an almost effective coset space K/L of a compact connected semisimple Lie group K by its subgroup L of maximal rank, the homotopy classification of such homogeneous spaces is established. One proves that if two such homogeneous spaces are homotopy equivalent then they are diffeomorphic. Using some previous results of \textit{A. L. Onishchik} [Mat. Sb., Nov. Ser. 74(116), 398-416 (1967; Zbl 0198.289); ibid. 75(117), 255-263 (1968; Zbl 0198.290)] and the author [Vopr. Teor. Grupp Gomologicheskoj Algebry 2, 175-186 (1979; Zbl 0436.57016)], all connected Lie groups that act transitively and almost effectively on arbitrary (not necessarily simply connected) compact connected manifolds of positive Euler characteristic are described. All such actions on simply connected manifolds have been listed by \textit{A. L. Onishchik} (1968, loc. cit.).