On spaces of equivariant isomorphisms (Q809404)

For a connected Hausdorff space X with a group G of homeomorphisms so that \(\pi: X\to X/G\) is a covering map, one has the group \(Top_{\pi}(X)\) of \(\pi\)-equivariant homeomorphisms (those that take fibers to fibers). For \(\bar f\in Top_{\pi}(X)\), there is a well- defined automorphism \(\sigma\) of G defined by \(\bar f(gx)=\sigma(g)\bar f(x)\) for all x. Those \(\bar f\) for which \(\sigma\) is the identity form the subgroup \(Top_ G(X)\) of G-equivariant homeomorphisms. Sending maps to their induced homeomorphism on X/G defines \(p: Top_{\pi}(X)\to Top(X/G)\). The author shows that when X is locally compact and locally path connected, p is a fibration, and there is a commutative diagram with top row the exact sequence \(0\to Top_ G(X)\to Top_{\pi}(X)\to Aut(G)\) and bottom row the exact sequence \(0\to p(Top_ G(X))\to p(Top_{\pi}(X))\to Out(G).\) A similar diagram exists when the spaces are replaced by their groups of path components. Analogous results hold for \(Diff^{\infty}_{\pi}(M)\), the group of \(\pi\)-equivariant diffeomorphisms, provided that one uses the weak \(C^{\infty}\) topology. Several examples are given; in particular, when \(X=R^ n\) for \(n\geq 5\) and \(G=Z^ n\) acting by the standard translations, so that X/G is the n- torus, the kernels in the diagram at the \(\pi_ 0\)-level are identified as the infinitely generated subgroups discovered by A. Hatcher.