Symmetric subgroup actions on isotropic Grassmannians (Q657979)

Let \(V\) be a finite-dimensional vector space over a field \(\mathbb{F}\) with a sesquilinear form \(B\). Let \(G\) be the subgroup of \(\mathrm{GL}(V)\) preserving \(B\), and let \(H\) be a symmetric subgroup of \(G\) stabilizing two subspaces \(U\) and \(W\) of \(V\) where \(V=U \oplus W\) is an orthogonal decomposition. Let \(\mathrm{Gr}_G(r)\) denote the isotropic Grassmannian of \(V\), i.e. the projective variety of isotropic \(r\)-dimensional subspaces of \(V\). The paper under review considers the \(H\)-action on \(\mathrm{Gr}_G(r)\). For four concrete examples of \(G\), the authors show that the \(H\)-orbits of \(\mathrm{Gr}_G(r)\) can be parametrized by tuples of numerical invariants. They also describe the Bruhat order among these orbits in terms of these invariants. (Recall that \(\mathcal{O} \geq \mathcal{O}'\) for two orbits \(\mathcal{O}\) and \(\mathcal{O}'\) if the Zariski closure of \(\mathcal{O}\) contains \(\mathcal{O}'\).) This work continues a line of investigation started by \textit{T. Matsuki} [J. Math. Soc. Japan 31, No. 2, 331--357 (1979; Zbl 0396.53025); Hiroshima Math. J. 12, No. 2, 307--320 (1982; Zbl 0495.53049); Hiroshima Math. J. 18, No. 1, 59--67 (1988; Zbl 0652.53035); Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Vol. I, II (Kyoto, 1990), 807--813, Math. Soc. Japan, Tokyo; (1991; Zbl 0745.22010)] and \textit{T. A. Springer} [Algebraic groups and related topics, Proc. Symp., Kyoto and Nagoya/Jap. 1983, Adv. Stud. Pure Math. 6, 525--543 (1985; Zbl 0628.20036)].