Rigidity of convex divisible domains in flag manifolds (Q666707)

An open set $\Omega$ is called a convex divisible domain if it is a bounded convex set in some affine chart of $\mathbb{R}P^{d+1}$ and there exists a discrete subgroup $\Gamma \subset\mathrm{Aut}(\Omega)$ which acts properly, freely, and cocompactly on $\Omega$. There are many examples of such $\Omega$. But it is possible to consider more general cases, in which convex divisible domains can be studied. If $P \subset G$ is a parabolic subgroup in a connected semisimple Lie group (without center and compact factors), then $G/P$ is a flag manifold. Here convex (in some affine chart) divisible open sets may be investigated. In this paper convex divisible domains in Grassmannians are considered. The Lie group $\mathrm{PGL}_{p+q}(\mathbb{R})$ acts naturally on the Grassmannian $\mathrm{Gr}_p(\mathbb{R}_{p+q})$ of p-planes in $\mathbb{R}^{p+q}$ and for an open set $\Omega \subset\mathrm{Gr}_p(\mathbb{R}^{p+q})$ the automorphism group of such $\Omega$ is $\mathrm{Aut}(\Omega) = \{ g \in\mathrm{PGL}_{p+q}(\mathbb{R}) : g(\Omega) = \Omega \}$. \par The set of real matrices $M_{q,p}(\mathbb{R})$ can be naturally identified with an affine chart of $\mathrm{Gr}_p(\mathbb{R}^{p+q})$. Let $B_{q,p}$ be the unit ball (with respect to the operator norm) in $M_{q,p}(\mathbb{R})$. This $B_{q,p}$ is a symmetric domain, the group $\mathrm{Aut}(B_{q,p})$ acts transitively on $B_{q,p}$ and $\mathrm{Aut}(B_{q,p)}$ is a simple Lie group (it is isomorphic to $\mathrm{PSO}(p, q)$). \par In contrast to the many examples of convex divisible domains in real projective space, it is proved here that every convex divisible domain in $\mathrm{Gr}_p(\mathbb{R}^{2p})$ is symmetric and moreover, up to projective isomorphism, this $B_{p,p}$ is the only convex divisible domain in $\mathrm{Gr}_p(\mathbb{R}^{2p})$. The proof of this result uses a variety of techniques from real projective geometry, several complex variables, Riemannian geometry, Lie theory, and algebraic topology.