On the dimension datum of a subgroup (Q341473)

For a closed subgroup \(H\) of a compact Lie group \(G\), the dimension datum \(\mathcal{D}_H\) is a function \[ \mathcal{D}_H: \widehat{G}\to\mathbb{Z},\quad V\mapsto \dim V^H, \] where \(\widehat{G}\) is the set of equivalence classes of irreducible finite dimensional complex linear representations of \(G\). The dimension datum problem asks to what extent the function \(\mathscr{D}_H\) determines \(H\), and the linear dependence problem asks whether finitely many distinct dimension data \(\mathscr{D}_{H_i}\), \(i=1,\ldots, n\), are linearly independent. One of the important motivations to study these problems is that they have remarkable applications in the program ``Beyond Endoscopy'', as suggested by \textit{R. P. Langlands} [in: Contributions to automorphic forms, geometry, and number theory. Papers from the conference in honor of Joseph Shalika on the occasion of his 60th birthday, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, May 14--17, 2002. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. 611--697 (2004; Zbl 1078.11033)]. Namely, one should be able to use the dimension datum to obtain a conjectural subgroup \({}^\lambda H_\pi\) of the Langlands dual group \({}^LG\), associated to an automorphic representation \(\pi\) of \(G(\mathbb{A})\). In this beautiful paper under review, the author obtains a classification of connected closed subgroups with equal dimension datum and connected closed subgroups with distinct and linearly dependent dimension data. The author uses an extended version of the method of \textit{M. Larsen} and \textit{R. Pink} [Invent. Math. 102, No. 2, 377--398 (1990; Zbl 0687.22004)]. He transfers the dimension datum problem and linear dependence problem to the comparison of characters of subroot systems of a given root system, as well as the linear relations among these characters. Then, he obtains the classification mentioned above by solving the analogous problems for characters of subroot systems. The author also gives examples of equalities and linear relations among dimension data of irreducible closed subgroups of a unitary group U\((n)\) acting on the standard representation \(\mathbb{C}^n\). In particular he shows that connected irreducible subgroups must have linearly independent dimension data. Despite its length and the complicated calculations, this paper is written very well and has many other applications. For instance the method and results of the paper can be applied to the determination of monodromy groups in number theory, which the author is going to pursue, and also the construction of isospectral manifolds in differential geometry. For the latter, the classification in this paper gives many new examples of isospectral manifolds (see also the author's joint paper with \textit{J. An} and \textit{J.-K. Yu} [J. Differ. Geom. 94, No. 1, 59--85 (2013; Zbl 1268.22004)]).