Involutive automorphisms of root systems (Q789498)

Let \(\Delta\) be a reduced root system with Weyl group W and \(\sigma\) an involutive automorphism of \(\Delta\). Let \(\Pi\) be a \(\sigma\)-fundamental system of \(\Delta\), i.e. a fundamental system with corresponding partial ordering \(>\) of \(\Delta\) such that \(\sigma \rho =-\rho\) or \(\sigma \rho>0\) for each root \(\rho\) in \(\Pi\). Define \({\bar \Delta}:=\{frac{1}{2}(\alpha +\sigma \alpha)| \alpha \in \Delta,\quad \sigma \alpha \neq -\alpha \}, {\tilde \Delta}:=\{\gamma \in {\bar \Delta}| \quad 2\gamma \not\in \Delta \}, W_{\sigma} :=\) the centralizer of \(\sigma\) in W and \(\bar W\) \(:=\) the restriction of \(W_{\sigma}\) to \({\bar \Delta}\). It is shown that \({\tilde \Delta}\) is a root system with Weyl group \(\bar W\) if and only if \(W_{\sigma}\) acts simply transitively on the set of \(\sigma\)-fundamental systems of \(\Delta\). This solves a problem posed by \textit{T. Hirai} [J. Math. Soc. Japan 28, 250-256 (1976; Zbl 0318.17007)]. If \(\Delta\) is irreducible and \({\bar \Delta}\) is a root system, then \(\bar W\) is the Weyl group of \({\tilde \Delta}\) unless \(\Delta\) is a root system of type \(A_ 2\) with \(\sigma\) equal to one of the fundamental reflections. The Satake diagram of \(\sigma\) with respect to \(\Pi\), i.e. the Dynkin diagram of \(\Pi\) in which the action of \(\sigma\) on \(\Pi\) is specified, does not depend (up to isomorphism) on the choice of the \(\sigma\)-fundamental system \(\Pi\) if and only if \({\tilde \Delta}\) is a root system. The Satake diagram of \(\sigma\) with respect to \(\Pi\) is called admissible if \({\tilde \Delta}\) is a root system with Weyl group \(\bar W\). Necessary and sufficient conditions for admissibility of a Satake diagram are derived; this is a re-examination of work of \textit{D. Schattschneider} [J. Math. Soc. Japan 21, 94-115 (1969; Zbl 0242.20045)]. All irreducible, admissible Satake diagrams are classified.