The Polish topology of the isometry group of the infinite dimensional hyperbolic space (Q6039664)

Let \(\mathcal{H}\) be a separable Hilbert space with a Hilbert base \(\mathcal{B}=(e_i)_{i\in\mathbb{N}}\). Let \(\mathcal{Q}\) be the quadratic form with signature \((1,\infty)\) defined by \(\mathcal{Q}(x)=x_0^2-\sum\limits_{i\geq 1}x_i^2\), where \((x_i)\) are the coordinates of \(x\) in \(\mathcal{B}\). The infinite-dimensional (separable) \textit{hyperbolic space} is \(\mathbf{H}=\{x\in\mathcal{H}\,:\,\mathcal{Q}(x)=1,\ x_0>0\}\). The \textit{group of isometries} of \(\mathbf{H}\) is Isom\((\mathbf{H})=\mathrm{O}(1,\infty)/\{\pm\)Id\(\}\), where \(\mathrm{O}(1,\infty)\) is the orthogonal group of \(\mathcal{Q}\). This infinite-dimensional group has a natural group topology which makes the action Isom\((\mathbf{H})\times\mathbf{H}\to\mathbf{H}\) continuous. This is the pointwise convergence topology, that is, the coarsest group topology on Isom\((\mathbf{H})\) such that the orbits maps \(g\mapsto gx\) are continuous. Actually, this topology is the quotient topology of the strong operator topology on \(\mathrm{O}(1,\infty)\). Since \(\mathbf{H}\) is separable, this topology is known to be Polish. The aim of this paper is to study the Polish group Isom\((\mathbf{H})\) and a parallel study with the Polish group Isom\((\mathcal{H})\). These two groups are homeomorphic but the homeomorphism is not a group homomorphism. The leading idea is to compare Isom\((\mathbf{H})\) with usual Lie groups on one side and with non-Archimedean infinite-dimensional groups like the group of all permutations of a countable set on the other side. Actually, \(\mathrm{O}(1,\infty)\) is a Lie group but for the stronger topology given by the operator norm. Some main results are the following: \(\bullet\) \textit{The groups} Isom\((\mathbf{H})\) \textit{and} Isom\((\mathcal{H})\) \textit{have automatic continuity}. (A topological group \(G\) has \textit{automatic continuity} if any homomorphism \(G\to H\), where \(H\) is a separable Hausdorff topological group, is continuous.) \(\bullet\) \textit{The Polish groups} Isom\((\mathbf{H})\) \textit{and} Isom\((\mathcal{H})\) \textit{are minimal}. (A Hausdorff topological \((G,\tau)\) is said to be \textit{minimal} if there is no Hausdorff group topology on \(G\) coarser than \(\tau\).) As a consequence, \textit{the Polish group topology on} Isom\((\mathbf{H})\) \textit{is the unique separable Hausdorff group topology on} Isom\((\mathbf{H})\). Analogously for Isom\((\mathcal{H})\). \(\bullet\) \textit{The Polish group} Isom\((\mathcal{H})\) \textit{has a dense conjugacy class}, \textit{but} Isom\((\mathbf{H})\) \textit{has no dense conjugacy classes.}