Non-Virtually Abelian Discontinuous Group Actions vs. Proper <i>SL</i> (2,ℝ) -Actions on Homogeneous Spaces (Q6972451)

In the paper, the authors develop algorithms and computer programs to verify properness of discrete group actions on semisimple homogeneous spaces.\N\NLet \(H \subset G\) be a closed subgroup with infinitely many connected components of a connected linear semisimple real Lie group with a non-compact quotient \(G/H\). A discrete group is non-virtually abelian if it contains no abelian subgroup of finite index. The following three properties are considered: the space \(G/H\) admits a properly discontinuous action\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[(C1)] of an infinite discrete subgroup of \(G\);\N\item[(C2)] of a non-virtually abelian infinite discrete subgroup of \(G\);\N\item[(C3)] of a subgroup \(L \subset G\) locally isomorphic to \(\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{R})\).\N\end{itemize}\N\NIf \(H\) is compact then all C1--C3 are satisfied. In general, for the homogeneous spaces of reductive type C1 \(\Longleftarrow\) C2 \(\Longleftarrow\) C3.\N\NThe authors considered three problems:\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[(1)] Determine all pairs \( (G,H) \) such that \(G/H\) admits co-compact discontinuous actions of discrete subgroups \(\Gamma\subset G\);\N\item[(2)] Find a necessary and sufficient condition for G/H to admit a discontinuous action of a group \(\Gamma\subset G\) isomorphic to a surface group \(\pi_1(\Sigma_g)\) with \(g \geq 2\);\N\item[(3)] Create computer algorithms and programs which verify C2 and C3 for general semisimple homogeneous spaces.\N\end{itemize}\N\NUsing computer algorithms and programs, the main result of the paper is Theorem 2: For any pair of Lie algebras \(\mathfrak g = \mathrm{Lie}(G)\), \(\mathfrak h = \mathrm{Lie}(H)\) of rank \(r(\mathfrak g) \leq 6\) the conditions C2 and C3 are equivalent. There are two new examples \((\mathfrak e_{7(7)}, \mathfrak{sl}(2,\mathbb R) \oplus \mathfrak f_{4(4)})\) and \((\mathfrak e_{8(8)}, \mathfrak f_{4(4)} \oplus \mathfrak g_{2(2)})\) of rank \(r(\mathfrak g) = 7, 8\) satisfying C2 but not C3.