Positivity of matrix coefficients of representations with real infinitesimal characters (Q839924)

Let \(G\) be a connected semisimple Lie group with finite center and with a Cartan decomposition \(G = K\exp\mathfrak p\) (on the Lie group level) determined by a Cartan involution of the Lie algebra \(\mathfrak g\) of \(G\). Denote by \(\theta\) the corresponding Cartan involution of the complexification \(\mathfrak g_\mathbb C\) of \(\mathfrak g\) and let \(V\) be a \((\mathfrak g_\mathbb C,K)\)-module of finite length. An admissible form \(\langle\cdot , \cdot\rangle\) on \(V\) is a Hermitian form such that \(\langle Xu,v\rangle + \langle u,\theta(\bar{X})v\rangle = 0\) for all \(u, v\in V\) and all \(X\in\mathfrak g_\mathbb C\) together with \(\langle ku,kv\rangle = \langle u,v\rangle\) for all \(u, v\in V\) and all \(k\in K\). The main results of this paper are the following (the first of them is well-known, but is proven here using matrix coefficients): Let \(V\) be irreducible with a real infinitesimal character [\textit{D. A. Vogan jun.}, Representations of real reductive Lie groups. Prog. Math. Vol. 15. Boston-Basel-Stuttgart: Birkhäuser (1981; Zbl 0469.22012)]. Then, {\parindent=7mm \begin{itemize}\item[(1)] there exists a nondegenerate admissible form on \(V\), which is unique up to a nonzero real constant; \item[(2)] if \(\alpha\) is a lowest \(K\)-type of \(V\) in the sense of Vogan [op. cit.], the \(\alpha\)-isotypic component \(V(\alpha)\) is such that there is an admissible form \(\langle\cdot , \cdot\rangle\) on \(V\) such that \(\langle gv,v\rangle > 0\) for all \(v\in V(\alpha)\backslash\{0\}\) and all \(g\in\exp\mathfrak p\) in the following cases: \item[(a)] when \(G\) is complex or has real rank one; \item[(b)] when \(V\) is unitarizable with non-zero cohomology [\textit{D. A. Vogan jun.} and \textit{G. Zuckerman}, Compos. Math. 53, 51--90 (1984; Zbl 0692.22008)]. \end{itemize}}