Poisson geometry of discrete series orbits, and momentum convexity for noncompact group actions (Q5945521)

The main result of the paper is a convexity theorem for momentum maps of certain Hamiltonian actions of noncompact semisimple Lie groups. The image of the momentum map \(J\) is required to fall within a certain open subset \(D\) of the dual of the Lie algebra which corresponds roughly via the orbit method to the discrete series representations of the group \(G\). \(J\) is required to be proper as a map from the manifold \(M\) to \(D\). Most of the paper is devoted to the study of \(D\) itself. \(D\) is the set of elements in the dual of the Lie algebra which have compact coadjoint isotropy group. To prove that \(D\) is open and that the action of \(G\) on \(D\) is proper, several other characterizations of \(D\) are given. The elements of \(D\) correspond to Lie algebra elements for which the corresponding vector field on the symmetric space \(G/K\) has a nondegenerate singular point, where \(K\) is a maximal compact subgroup of \(G\). \(D\), as a Poisson manifold, is Morita equivalent to an open subset of the dual of the Lie algebra of \(K\). This enables to reduce the convexity theorem to Kirwan's result for the compact case. As an application, a new convexity theorem for frequency sets of positive definite Hamiltonians with prescribed frequencies is proved.