Principal Gelfand pairs (Q862276)

Let \(K\) be a compact subgroup of a real Lie group \(G\). The homogeneous space \(G/K\) is called commutative or the pair \((G, K)\) is called a Gelfand pair if the algebra of \(G\)-invariant differential operators on \(G/K\) is commutative. For instance, symmetric Riemannian homogeneous spaces and weakly symmetric homogeneous spaces (introduced by Selberg in his celebrated article on the trace formula) are commutative. In the article under review, the author proves an effective criterion for commutativity and then applies it to a classification of Gelfand pairs modulo some technical constraints. (A complete classification is presented in the author's dissertation.) It was proved by \textit{È. B. Vinberg} [Russ. Math. Surv. 56, No. 1, 1--60 (2001); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 56, No. 1, 3--62 (2001; Zbl 0996.53034)] that if \(G/K\) is commutative, then, up to a local isomorphism, \(G\) is a semi-direct product \(G=N\times L\), where \(L\) is reductive, \(K\subset L\), \(N\) is the nilpotent radical of \(G\), and \(N\) is at most 2-step nilpotent. Section 1 contains a general criterion for the commutativity of \(G/K\): Theorem. The homogeneous space \(X=(N\times L)/K\) is commutative if and only if the following three conditions hold: 1. \({\mathbb R}[{\mathfrak n}]^L={\mathbb R}[{\mathfrak n}]^K\); 2. for any point \(\gamma\in{\mathfrak n^*}\), the homogeneous space \(L_\gamma/K_\gamma\) is commutative; 3. for any \(\beta\in ({\mathfrak l}/{\mathfrak k})^*\), the homogeneous space \(N(\times K_\beta)/K_\beta\) is also commutative. The commutativity is a local property, i.e., it depends only on the Lie algebras \(({\mathfrak g},{\mathfrak k})\). It is also clear that one can only consider the indecomposable and maximal homogeneous spaces. Two technical constraints imposed on \(G/K\) are the principality and the \(\text{Sp}_1\)-saturation. They concern the behaviour of the connected centres \(Z(L)\subset L\), \(Z(K)\subset K\), and normal subgroups of \(K\) and \(L\) isomorphic to \(\text{Sp}_1\), respectively. As a particular classification step, the author completes the classification of principal \(\text{Sp}_1\)-saturated commutative spaces of Heisenberg type started by Benson and Ratcliff and Vinberg. The main classification result of the article is the following Theorem. An indecomposable maximal principal \(\text{Sp}_1\)-saturated commutative homogeneous space belongs to one of the following classes: (1) the commutative homogeneous spaces of real reductive Lie groups; (2) the homogeneous spaces occurring in two explicit short lists; (3) the commutative homogeneous spaces of Heisenberg type. The commutative homogeneous spaces of real reductive groups, i.e., the real forms of spherical homogeneous spaces, have earlier been described by the author [Mosc. Univ. Math. Bull. 57, No. 2, 37--40 (2002); translation from Vestn. Mosk. Univ., Ser. I 2002, No. 2, 57--60 (2002; Zbl 1032.17033)].