Low cohomogeneity and polar actions on exceptional compact Lie groups (Q733665)

Let \(L\) be a connected simple compact Lie group of exceptional type, endowed with a bi-invariant Riemannian metric. Let \(H \subset L \times L\) be a closed subgroup such that the action of \(H\) on \(L\) defined by \((h_1,h_2) \cdot \ell = h_1\ell h_2\) is polar, i.e. there exists an immersed connected submanifold \(\Sigma\) which meets every orbit and intersects every orbit orthogonally. The author proves that in this case the \(H\)-action on \(L\) is hyperpolar or the \(H\)-orbits are finite. The \(H\)-action on \(L\) is called hyperpolar if the submanifold \(\Sigma\) is flat with respect to its induced metric. Moreover, if the cohomogeneity of the polar \(H\)-action on \(L\) is greater than two, then \(H\) is a symmetric subgroup of \(L \times L\). The proof of this theorem also provides an explicit description of all polar actions of connected groups on the exceptional compact Lie groups.