A classification of orthogonal transformation groups of low cohomogeneity (Q579642)

Real irreducible connected Lie subgroups of a special orthogonal group SO(n) whose maximal dimensional orbit in the Euclidean space \(E^ n\) has codimension at most 3 in \(E^ n\) are classified. As a result, new examples of the action of a compact Lie group on the hypersphere \(S^{- 1}\) of cohomogeneity 2 in \(S^{n-1}\) are found (cf. Remark 4.10, Proposition 4.2(13) and Proposition 4.3(16)). Especially it shows that the classification theorem [Theorem 7 of J. Differ. Geom. 5, 1-38 (1971; Zbl 0219.53045)] of compact linear Lie groups by \textit{W.-Y. Hsiang} and \textit{H. B. Lawson} should be modified also when the representation is real irreducible and of cohomogeneity 2 in the hypersphere. For the nonirreducible case, see \textit{F. Uchida} [ibid. 15, 569-574 (1980; Zbl 0472.57023)].