Finite subgroups of Spin(9) - MathOverflow most recent 30 from http://mathoverflow.net2013-05-19T05:07:44Zhttp://mathoverflow.net/feeds/question/102154http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdfhttp://mathoverflow.net/questions/102154/finite-subgroups-of-spin9Finite subgroups of Spin(9)Maurizio Parton2012-07-13T16:43:53Z2012-08-03T15:00:35Z
<p>I'm trying to classify compact manifolds $M^{16}$ with a metric which is locally conformal to a (local) metric with holonomy (included in) Spin(9)$\subset$SO(16). To do this, I would need a complete list of finite subgroups of Spin(9) acting freely on $S^{15}$.
Any hint on finite subgroups of Spin(9) (even not acting freely) would be very helpful!</p>
http://mathoverflow.net/questions/102154/finite-subgroups-of-spin9/102167#102167Answer by Bruce Westbury for Finite subgroups of Spin(9)Bruce Westbury2012-07-13T18:58:35Z2012-07-13T18:58:35Z<p>Although there exists an algorithm which will list all finite subgroups of $Spin(9)$ I suspect it is not effective. For background and references see</p>
<p><a href="http://mathoverflow.net/questions/17072" rel="nofollow">http://mathoverflow.net/questions/17072</a></p>
<p>I don't know if imposing the condition that the group acts freely on $S^{15}$ improves the situation. </p>
http://mathoverflow.net/questions/102154/finite-subgroups-of-spin9/103871#103871Answer by Maurizio Parton for Finite subgroups of Spin(9)Maurizio Parton2012-08-03T15:00:35Z2012-08-03T15:00:35Z<p>After some thinking, I came up with the following very partial answer, that I put here as a reference.</p>
<p>Consider the diagonal inclusion of $\text{Sp}(1)$ in $\text{Spin}(9)$ given by sending a unitary quaternion $q\in\text{Sp}(1)$ into the map $L_q\in\text{Spin}(9)\subset\text{SO}(16)$, where $L_q$ is defined by
$$
L_q:\mathbb{H}^4\longrightarrow \mathbb{H}^4,\qquad
L_q(h_1,h_2,h_3,h_4)=(qh_1,qh_2,qh_3,qh_4).
$$</p>
<p>If $q\neq 1$, any such $L_q$ acts without fixed points on $S^{15}$. Since the finite subgroups $G$ of $\text{Sp}(1)$ are known (polyhedrons classification), any such $G$ gives a finite subgroup $L_q(G)$ of $\text{Spin}(9)$ acting without fixed points.</p>