Semi-simple groups of compact 16-dimensional planes (Q506924)

The octonion projective plane, whose automorphism group is 78-dimensional, has many close relatives, the compact 16-dimensional planes. The properties of such planes \(\mathcal P\) have been studied extensively, see [the author et al., Compact projective planes. Berlin: de Gruyter (1996; Zbl 0851.51003)] and the author's survey [Result. Math. 35, No. 1--2, 192--196 (1999; Zbl 0933.51008)]. Ultimate results are of the type that the plane can be determined if the dimension of the automorphism group is at least equal to some bound; depending on the configuration of fixed elements, the bound is currently a number between 25 and 40. Semisimple (closed, connected) groups of automorphisms play a crucial role in the proofs. In the present paper it is proved that if such a group \(\Delta\) is at least 17-dimensional and fixes a line, but no point, then \(\Delta\) is almost simple and of dimension 21, or \(\Delta\) is a product of 6 or 7 copies of the simply connected covering group of \(\mathrm{SL}_2\mathbb R\). In order to rule out all other possibilities, the author uses all the available information on the topology of the plane, on possible subplanes, on the smallness of groups with many fixed elements (`stiffness'), on involutions and translations, and on the structure of groups of lower-dimensional planes. Moreover, essential use is made of results by \textit{B. Priwitzer} [Monatsh. Math. 127, No. 1, 67--82 (1999; Zbl 0929.51010)] on the case \(\dim \Delta > 28\).