Connected 4-dimensional stable planes with many central collineations (Q2640877)

A stable plane is a linear space (M,\({\mathcal L})\) in which M and \({\mathcal L}\) carry non-discrete Hausdorff topologies such that the geometric operation of joining two points by a line \(\bigvee\) is continuous on its domain of definition, such that the set of pairs of intersecting lines \({\mathcal D}\) is open in \({\mathcal L}\times {\mathcal L}\), and such that the operation of intersecting two lines in a point \(\bigwedge\) is continuous on \({\mathcal D}\). Stable planes were first investigated by \textit{R. Löwen} [Geom. Dedicata 5, 239-294 (1976; Zbl 0344.50003)] and a fundamental result of his states that for finite-dimensional connected stable planes M and L are of the same dimension 2, 4, 8, or 16. Classical examples of finite- dimensional stable planes are the finite-dimensional projective planes and their open subsets with the induced geometry. As with projective plane central and axial collineations play a prominent role in the study of stable planes. In this paper a complete classification of all connected 4-dimensional stable planes with the property that every point is the centre of a nontrivial central collineation is given. The corresponding problem for 2-dimensional stable planes has been solved by R. Löwen and others [cf. \textit{R. Löwen}, Mitt. Math. Semin. Gießen 165, 63-67 (1984; Zbl 0538.51017)]. In a first step it is proved that the automorphism group \(\Gamma\) of (M,\({\mathcal L})\) is a Lie group and has an open orbit on M. Next it is shown that a connected component of such an open orbit can be endowed with the structure of a symmetric plane (that is M is a differential manifold and every point is the isolated fixed point of a diffeomorphism on M; the manifold structure arises from the transitive action of \(\Gamma\) and non- trivial central collineations provide the required diffeomorphisms). Using the previous classification of 4-dimensional generalized symmetric planes with connected point set by the author [Forum Math. 3, No.1, 35-59 (1991; Zbl 0723.51004)] it then is shown that a 4-dimensional connected stable plane is isomorphic to certain open subsets of the classical 4- dimensional projective plane \(P_ 2{\mathbb{C}}\) (i.e. \(P_ 2{\mathbb{C}}\), the affine plane \(A_ 2{\mathbb{C}}\), the complement of a point or of two lines, the interior and exterior complex hyperbolic plane \(IH_ 2{\mathbb{C}}\) and \(EH_ 2{\mathbb{C}}\), the complex oval plane \(P_ 2{\mathbb{C}}\setminus O\), the complex cylinder plane Zyl \({\mathbb{C}}\), and an exceptional 3-symmetric plane \(E_{{\mathcal B}})\) or to a plane obtained from a projective translation plane by removing a compact subset K of the translation axis with the induced geometry and topology. This is further refined by assuming that each point is the centre of a non-trivial central collineation of finite order (that is the compact subset K above can be specified). The results obtained specialize into a characterization of 4-dimensional translation planes and the desarguesian complex projective plane respectively: A 4-dimensional projective plane is a translation plane (is classical) if and only if every point is the centre of a nontrivial central collineation (of finite order).