Embeddings from noncompact symmetric spaces to their compact duals (Q2657841)

The starting point of the paper is the fact that every compact symmetric space \(M\) admits a dual noncompact symmetric space \(\check{M}\). Consider the following maps: for Hermitian symmetric spaces, the Borel embedding \(b\) from the noncompact symmetric space to its compact dual, for the generalized Grassmannians, the space-like embedding \(p\) from the noncompact symmetric space to its compact dual. The authors' aim is to answer the following questions. Are the two embeddings \(p\) and \(b\) compatible with each other? Can they be generalized to all symmetric spaces? An important fact to help answer these questions is the fact that if \(M\) is a compact generalized Grassmannian, or a compact Hermitian symmetric space, then \(M\) possesses a connected Lie transformation group larger than the isometry group (introduction of the \(R\)-space), and hence can be described as a quotient of a semisimple Lie group by a parabolic subgroup. For such a symmetric \(R\)-space \(M\), it is possible to construct an open embedding \(g\) from its noncompact dual \(\check{M}\) to \(M\) which coincides with both \(p\) and \(b\). The authors also address the question ``How to characterize their images?'' The fact that the unit lattice of a symmetric \(R\)-space is orthonormal enables one to compute the cut loci of this space. This, in turn, makes possible the computation of the cut loci of the space leading to the construction of an embedding \(f\colon \check{M}\to M\). The construction of \(f\) provides an easy description of its image. The maps \(f\) and \(g\) are then compared.