The classification and curvature of biquotients of the form \(\mathrm{Sp}(3)//\mathrm{Sp}(1)^2\) (Q477368)

The authors classify the effectively free biquotient actions of \(\mathrm{Sp}(1)\times \mathrm{Sp}(1)\) on \(\mathrm{Sp}(3)\), showing there are precisely 4 homogeneous and 15 inhomogeneous actions up to equivalence. They prove by means of the 8-th cohomology groups and 1-st Pontryagin classes that the 15 inhomogeneous actions give rise to manifolds which are distinct up to diffeomorphism. They also construct metrics of quasi-positive curvature on 8 of the 15 quotients, that is, metrics of nonnegative curvature possessing a point at which all sectional curvatures are positive. The 4 homogeneous examples have been studied in [\textit{M. M. Kerr} and \textit{K. Tapp}, Differ. Geom. Appl. 34, 63--79 (2014; Zbl 1296.53105)].