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Given a group $G$, we denote the center Z$(G)$, we like to know the automorphism group Aut($G$), the outer automorphism Out($G$) and the inner automorphism Inn($G$). They form short exact sequences: $$ 1 \to \text{Z}(G) \to G \to \text{Inn}(G) \to 1, \quad \text{and } \quad 1 \to \text{Inn}(G) \to \text{Aut}(G) \to \text{Out}(G) \to 1, $$ and a combined exact sequence $$ 1 \to \text{Z}(G) \to G \to \text{Aut}(G) \to \text{Out}(G) \to 1. $$

Question:

For $G=U(N)$ as a unitary group, a subgroup in GL$(N, \mathbb{C})$ represented by rank-$N$ unitary matrices of complex coefficients $\mathbb{C}$.

We know the center $Z(U(N))=U(1)$.

What are the follows:

  • Aut($U(N)$) = ?

  • Inn($U(N)$)= ?

  • Out($U(N)$)= ?

For $G=U(N)/\mathbb{Z}_k$ where $\mathbb{Z}_k$ is a finite abelian group of order $k$, which requires $k \vert N$ to be factorized.

We know the center $Z(U(N)/\mathbb{Z}_k)=U(1)$.

  • Aut($U(N)/\mathbb{Z}_k$) = ?

  • Inn($U(N)/\mathbb{Z}_k$)= ?

  • Out($U(N)/\mathbb{Z}_k$)= ?

Additional background info (warm-up, which I had obtained):

If $G$ is a simply-connected compact Lie group and ${\bf{g}}$ is its Lie algebra (which would necessarily be semi-simple), then $\text{Inn}(G)=\text{Inn}({\bf g})=\mathrm{P}G$, $\text{Aut}(G)=\text{Aut}({\bf g})$, and $ \text{Out}(G)=\text{Out}({\bf g})= \text{Aut}(D_{{\bf{g}} })$ is isomorphic to the automorphism group of the Dynkin diagram $D_{{\bf{g}} }$ of the Lie algebra ${\bf{g}} $.

  • For $G=U(1)$, we have $\text{Z}(G) =U(1)$, $\text{Inn}(G) = 1$, $\text{Aut}(G)=\text{Out}(G) = \mathbb{Z}_2$.

  • For $G=SU(2)$, we have $\text{Z}(G) =\mathbb{Z}_2$, $\text{Inn}(G) = SO(3)$, $\text{Aut}(G)=PSU(2)=SO(3)$, and $\text{Out}(G) = 1$.

  • For $G=SU(N)$ with $N$ $\geq 3$, we have $\text{Z}(G) =\mathbb{Z}_{N}$, $\text{Inn}(G) = PSU(N)$, and $\text{Out}(G) = \mathbb{Z}_2$. We also have $\text{Aut}(G)=PSU(N) \rtimes \mathbb{Z}_2$.

p.s. An earlier version of a Math.SE question has not reached a conclusion.

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    $\begingroup$ In your example $G$ is not just a group but a topological group. Are you asking about continuous automorphisms or arbitrary automorphisms? $\endgroup$
    – YCor
    Commented Apr 16, 2021 at 20:43
  • $\begingroup$ π‘ˆ(𝑁) is certainly a unitary Lie group. $\endgroup$
    – wonderich
    Commented Apr 16, 2021 at 20:48
  • $\begingroup$ Do you mean (π‘ˆ(𝑁)/β„€π‘˜) may be something else than Lie group? (It is Lie group I thought) thanks for comments $\endgroup$
    – wonderich
    Commented Apr 16, 2021 at 20:48
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    $\begingroup$ @wonderich: You have not answered YCor's question. Perhaps comments have been deleted -- at present this comment chain makes no sense. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 17, 2021 at 1:52
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    $\begingroup$ The lines at the beginning of your post suggest you're considering abstract groups, hence with the group of all their group automorphisms. While it is standard for a Lie group to consider the group of its automorphisms as topological group (i.e., which are continuous with continuous inverse)β€” these include inner automorphisms, but not all automorphisms in general. This why I'm asking to clarify your question. $\endgroup$
    – YCor
    Commented Apr 17, 2021 at 5:15

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