A characterization of CR quadrics with a symmetry property (Q692351)

The Levi form of a Levi non-degenerate CR-manifold of finite type induces a nilpotent graded Lie algebra \(\mathfrak m\) at each point of the manifold. The maximal prolongation \(\mathfrak g\) of \(\mathfrak m\) as a graded Lie algebra is called Levi-Tanaka algebra and it is fundamental for the study of the geometric properties of CR-manifolds. In particular, \(\mathfrak g\) is isomorphic to the Lie algebra of infinitesimal automorphisms of the associated standard CR-manifold (quadric). The structure of \(\mathfrak g\) is very well known if \(\mathfrak g\) is semisimple, in particular for hypersurface type CR-manifolds. In this case the positive part of the prolongation is dual to \(\mathfrak m\). \textit{W. Kaup} [Manuscr. Math. 133, No. 3--4, 505--517 (2010; Zbl 1202.32032)] has studied Levi-Tanaka algebras that possess an involutive automorphism of \(\mathfrak g\) that reverts the grading. Such automorphism also guarantees duality between the positive and negative parts of \(\mathfrak g\). In the paper under review the authors study Levi-Tanaka algebras with an automorphism of finite order that reverts the grading without being involutive. In many cases, in particular for compact quadrics, the existence of a finite order grading inverting automorphism implies the existence of an involutive one. For CR-manifolds of higher codimension the positive part of the Levi-Tanaka algebra is mostly trivial or very small. The authors construct a new example showing that the dimension of the positive part of \(\mathfrak g\) can in fact be bigger than the dimension of the negative part.