On \(SL(3, \mathbb R)\)-actions on 4-spheres (Q950771)

Classification of smooth actions of Lie groups on smooth manifolds is one of the key problems in the theory of transformation groups. The case of compact groups has been studied in depth. Results on non-compact Lie group actions are fewer and not so comprehensive. Particular attention has been paid to \(SL(n,\mathbb R)\) actions on \(m\)-dimensional spheres for which some strong results were obtained by \textit{F. Uchida} [Osaka J. Math. 16, 561--579 (1979; Zbl 0425.57015); Tôhoku Math. J., II. Ser. 33, 145--175 (1981; Zbl 0542.57032)]. These classification results were obtained due to the fact that the action when restricted to the maximal compact subgroup \(SO(n)\) is unique. However, this is not the case for actions of \(SL(3,\mathbb R)\) on \(S^4\). There are two smooth actions of \(SO(3)\) on \(S^4\), one of them admits admits smooth \(SL(3,\mathbb R)\) extensions. However, this is not known for the other. In [Publ. Res. Inst. Math. Sci. 21, 425--431 (1985; Zbl 0602.57025)], \textit{F. Uchida} constructed a continuous but not smooth extension of this action. The author constructs another \(SL(3,\mathbb R)\) extension of this \(SO(3)\) action, but this extension is not smooth as the author demonstrates in the last section of the paper.