Computation of the component group of an arbitrary real algebraic group (Q6608063)

For a real algebraic group, different notions of connectedness are of interest. If \(G\) is connected as an algebraic group, then the complex Lie group \(G(\mathbb C)\) of its complex points is connected in the strong topology, but the real Lie group \(G(\mathbb R)\) may not be. For example, if \(G=\mathbb G_{m,\mathbb R}\), then \(G(\mathbb C)=\mathbb C^*\) is connected but \(G(\mathbb R)=\mathbb R^*\) has two components, so that the component group \(\pi_0G(\mathbb R)\) has order 2.\N\NThe paper under review determines the group \(\pi_0G(\mathbb R)\) of connected components of \(G(\mathbb R)\) for any connected (not necessarily linear) algebraic group defined over \(\mathbb R\). A general and explicit formula for \(\pi_0G(\mathbb R)\) is given as a quotient of lattices. These lattices are obtained from a maximal torus of the derived subgroup of a maximal connected reductive subgroup of \(G\). From this description, it follows that \(\pi_0G(\mathbb R)\) is a finite elementary abelian \(2\)-group. This extends the corresponding result for linear algebraic groups obtained by the author [Proc. Steklov Inst. Math. 318, 175--184 (2022; Zbl 1525.14057); translation from Tr. Mat. Inst. Steklova 318, 193--203 (2022)]. The proof, using Galois cohomology techniques, is similar. (For linear algebraic groups, the author notes that the fact that the component group is an elementary abelian \(2\)-groups was established by \textit{H. Matsumoto} in [J. Math. Soc. Japan 16, 419--446 (1964; Zbl 0133.28706)].)