All Questions
Tagged with lie-groups dg.differential-geometry
68 questions
78
votes
7
answers
8k
views
Example of a manifold which is not a homogeneous space of any Lie group
Every manifold that I ever met in a differential geometry class was a homogeneous space: spheres, tori, Grassmannians, flag manifolds, Stiefel manifolds, etc. What is an example of a connected smooth ...
- 8,559
14
votes
2
answers
2k
views
If compact connected Lie groups are homeomorphic as topological space, are they isomorphic as Lie groups?
Let $G_{1}$ and $G_{2}$ be compact connected Lie groups.
If $G_{1}$ and $G_{2}$ are homeomorphic as topological spaces, are
they isomorphic as Lie groups?
- 491
77
votes
7
answers
21k
views
What is the symbol of a differential operator?
I find Wikipedia's discussion of symbols of differential operators a bit impenetrable, and Google doesn't seem to turn up useful links, so I'm hoping someone can point me to a more pedantic discussion....
- 54.6k
53
votes
5
answers
8k
views
Beautiful descriptions of exceptional groups
I'm curious about the beautiful descriptions of exceptional simple complex Lie groups and algebras (and maybe their compact forms). By beautiful I mean: simple (not complicated - it means that we need ...
- 1,422
22
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Automorphism group of real orthogonal Lie groups
I would like to understand what is the "outer-automorphism group" $Out$ of $SO(p,q)$ and $O(p,q)$, where $p+q >0$ and $pq \neq 0$. My working definition of $Out$ is as follows:
Let us denote by $...
- 2,816
20
votes
3
answers
9k
views
Curvature of a Lie group
Since a lie group is a manifold with the structure of a continuous group, then each point of the manifold [Edit: provided we fix a metric, for example an invariant or bi-invariant one] has some scalar ...
- 251
15
votes
8
answers
8k
views
Lie Groups and Manifolds
I'm trying to get a better handle on the relation between Lie groups and the Manifolds they correspond to. Firstly, is the relationship injective? that is, does each Lie group correspond to a unique ...
- 445
13
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What's the Lipschitz constant of the exponential map for $\mathrm{SO}(n,R)$?
$\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}\DeclareMathOperator\so{\mathfrak{so}}$Consider the Lie algebra $\so(n)$ equipped with the metric $\langle e_i \wedge e_j, e_k \wedge e_l \rangle = \delta_{i,k} \delta_{j,l}...
- 4,466
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Isometry group of pseudo Riemannian manifold always a Lie group? (Myers-Steenrod)
Myers-Steenrod states that the isometry group of a Riemannian manifold is a Lie group. Is that also true for pseudo Riemannian manifolds? I didn't find anything related to that.
Cheers
- 123
5
votes
2
answers
480
views
Maximum symmetry metric on $ \mathbb{C}P^n $
Let $ M $ be a compact connected manifold. The degree of symmetry of $ M $, denoted $ N(M) $, is the maximum of the dimensions of the isometry groups of all possible Riemannian structures on $ M $. ...
- 4,081
4
votes
2
answers
545
views
Is every group object in TopMan a Lie group?
Recall that a Lie group is a group object in the category of C∞ manifolds.
If I have a group object in the category of topological manifolds, can I necessarily equip it with a smooth structure ...
- 54.6k
4
votes
1
answer
975
views
About the Cartan's moving frame method
I am learning Cartan's moving frame from chapter 6 of S.S. Chern's book "Lectures on differential geometry" (Google books). Suppose the moving frame in $E^N$ is denoted by $(p;e_1,\cdots,e_N)...
- 43
2
votes
2
answers
530
views
Fibered product of stacks comes from a Lie groupoid
I am adding some context here. I am reading Introduction to Differentiable Stacks by Gregory Ginot.
In page no $7$, just before the remark $2.2$ he says the following.
One shall be careful that ...
- 6,023
2
votes
2
answers
447
views
Reconciling some result about the exponential map, the Chow-Rashevskii theorem, and $\mathrm{Diff}_0(M)$
Let $M$ be a $C^{\infty}$ manifold $C^{\infty}$-diffeomorphic to $\mathbb{R}^d$. I've recently come across some results which I'm trying to reconcile. Let $\mathfrak{X}(M)$ denote the set of ...
- 5,405
2
votes
0
answers
429
views
A Generalized De Rham cohomology
Edit According to the comment of Alex Degtyarev, I deleted the last part of the previous version.
Let $E$ be a real vector space. The complex valued $k$- tensors on $E$ is denoted by $L_{\mathbb{C}}^{...
- 356
1
vote
1
answer
345
views
Is the manifold of complex points of a quotient of compact groups just the tangent bundle?
In great generality a Lie group mod its maximal compact subgroup is contractible (for example this is true for all connected Lie groups). Whenever this is true then the Lie group $ D $ is ...
- 4,081
145
votes
14
answers
50k
views
Why study Lie algebras?
I don't mean to be rude asking this question, I know that the theory of Lie groups and Lie algebras is a very deep one, very aesthetic and that has broad applications in various areas of mathematics ...
- 2,751
33
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Isometry group of a homogeneous space
Background
Let $(M,g)$ be a finite-dimensional riemannian (or more generally pseudoriemannian) manifold. Suppose that I know that a certain Lie group $G$ acts transitively and isometrically on $M$ ...
- 33.3k
31
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Rep Theory Consequences of Bott--Weil--Borel
I've been getting interested in the (Bott--)Borel--Weil theorem lately. As a (mainly) geometer it is very interesting to see representation appearing (from nowhere as far as I can see) in the theory ...
- 3,399
24
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Lie groups vs Lie monoids
Does there exist a well developed theory of a class of objects which might rightfully be called Lie monoids? By this I mean with axioms similar to those of Lie groups, but with the axiomatic existence ...
- 2,099
24
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is it possible to realize the Moebius strip as a linear group orbit?
On MSE this got 5 upvotes but no answers not even a comment so I figured it was time to cross-post it on MO:
Is the Moebius strip a linear group orbit? In other words:
Does there exists a Lie group $ ...
- 4,081
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Where did Sophus Lie write the group commutator for two one parameter groups
If $X,Y$ are vector fields and $\def\Fl{\operatorname{Fl}}\Fl^X_t$ and $\Fl^Y_t$ their local flows, let $[\Fl^X_t,\Fl^Y_t]:= \Fl^Y_{-t}\Fl^X_{-t}\Fl^Y_t\Fl^X_t$ denote the group commutator of the ...
- 25.3k
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Construction of the Lie functor: left vs. right invariant vector fields on Lie groups and Lie groupoids
When constructing the Lie algebra $L(G)$ of a Lie group $G$, one usually uses the identification of the tangent space $T_1 G$ with left invariant vector fields $\mathcal{V}^l(G)$ to construct the Lie ...
- 1,040
15
votes
0
answers
927
views
How does duality of symmetric spaces explain the hyperbolic cosine theorem?
There is a well-known duality between compact symmetric spaces and symmetric spaces of noncompact type. Basically it goes as follows: If $$G/K$$ is a symmetric space of noncompact type, $$g=k+p$$ the ...
- 10.4k
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Intuition for the Cartan connection and "rolling without slipping" in Cartan geometry
Consider a Cartan geometry $\pi: \mathcal{G} \to M$ with Cartan connection $\omega$ modelled on the Klein geometry $(G, H)$.
The Cartan connection is supposed to formalize what it means to "roll ...
- 6,025
14
votes
5
answers
1k
views
History of the notion of $(G,X)$-structure
I'm currently searching for sources and historical basis on the notion of $(G,X)$-structure as it appears in Thurston's work.
So far, it appears that he was the first to set it. Many mathematicans ...
- 403
13
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Classification of $SU(2)$ principal fibre bundles over four-dimensional manifolds
I would like to find a pedagogical reference where the classification, up to isomorphism, of principal $SU(2)$ bundles over a four-dimensional compact, oriented manifold is explained. In particular I ...
- 2,816
12
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Non-Lie Subgroups
A result of Borel and Lichnerowicz states that the holonomy group of a connection on a principal $G$-bundle is a Lie subgroup of $G$ (Cartan had earlier asserted this, but apparently without proof).
...
- 2,806
12
votes
2
answers
849
views
Geodesics on $SU(4)$
Are the geodesics of the following metrics on $SU(4)$ known or easy (in a way not known to me!) to find?
In the adjoint representation, one can express the Killing form as a matrix and consider it as ...
- 2,099
11
votes
1
answer
523
views
Connected compact manifolds with unique Lie group structure
I am sorry if my question is stupid (or very hard) or common knowledge, or should be placed at math.stackexchage.com.
As long as a math student read the definition of Lie group, several natural ...
- 213
10
votes
4
answers
710
views
Palais's and Kobayashi's theorems on automorphism groups of geometric structures
My question concerns two results in the neighborhood of the standard theorem of Myers-Steenrod that isometry groups of Riemannian manifolds are Lie groups. Both appear in the first chapter of ...
- 486
10
votes
3
answers
625
views
Parameterizing rotations of a cube
For $g\in\mathrm{SO}(3),S\subseteq \mathbb{R}^3,$ define $g\cdot S:=\{g\cdot p : p\in S\}.$ In words, if $g$ is a rotation of $\mathbb{R}^3$, $g\cdot S$ is the set of elements of $S$ rotated by $g$. ...
- 705
9
votes
3
answers
790
views
A manifold whose tangent space is a sum of line bundles and higher rank vector bundles
I am looking for an example of the following situation. Let $M$ be a connected (if possible compact) manifold such that its tangent bundle $T(M)$ admits a vector bundle decomposition
$$
T(M) = A \...
9
votes
2
answers
715
views
Maximal compact subgroup of $\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{H})$
$\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}\DeclareMathOperator\Sp{Sp}\DeclareMathOperator\SL{SL}$The exceptional isomorphism $\Spin(5,1)\simeq \SL(2,\mathbb{H})$ is well-known, and I can find references that ...
- 35.5k
8
votes
1
answer
387
views
What kind of locally symmetric space is a rational sphere
Using Dehn Surgery, we can construct compact hyperbolic $3$-manifolds with vanishing Betti numbers $b_1=b_2=0$, i.e., a rational homology $3$-sphere.
My question is the following.
Is there other ...
- 1,111
8
votes
1
answer
673
views
Classification of compact globally symmetric spaces
It is known that any connected compact Lie group $G$ is a finite quotient of the product of a compact simply connected semisimple Lie group $\tilde{G}$ and a torus $\mathbb{T}^n$ (see for example ...
- 193
8
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Wedge Product of Lie Algebra Valued One-Form
I've been reading about the formal structure of gauge theories and am a little confused by the notation. Could someone clarify this for me?
Suppose that $A$ is a Lie algebra valued 1-form ...
- 827
8
votes
1
answer
601
views
The Hypercomplex Structure of $SU(3)$
(A) In this really stylish answer it is shown that one can define a family of complex structures $J_{\lambda}$ on the Lie group SU(3), dependent on the parameter $\lambda \in {\mathbb C}\backslash {\...
- 357
8
votes
1
answer
566
views
Quotienting $SU(3)$ by $U(1)$?
As is well-known, if we quotient $SU(2)$ by the action of $U_1$, embedded in the diagonal as $(e^{i \theta}, e^{-i \theta})$, we get the $2$-sphere. As is also well-known, if we quotient $SU(3)$ on ...
- 155
8
votes
1
answer
599
views
Exact condition for smooth homogeneous to imply Riemannian homogeneous for compact manifolds
Let $ (M,g) $ be a homogeneous Riemannian manifold. That is, the isometry group $ Iso(M,g) $ acts transitively on $ M $. Let $ \pi_1(M) $ be the fundamental group of $ M $. Then $ \pi_1(M) $ has ...
- 4,081
8
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Is there a Levi decomposition for Lie group and algebraic group?
Let $G$ be a Lie group and $R$ be the largest connected solvable
normal subgroup of $G$.
Question 1
Is there a Lie subgroup $S$ such that: (1) $G=SR$; (2)
every real representation of $S$ is ...
- 491
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What is the Explicit Relationship between Coadjoint Orbits and Flag Manifolds?
Given a complex semi-simple Lie group $G$, it acts smoothly on the dual $\frak{g}^*$ of its Lie algebra $\frak{g}$ by the coadjoint action. The orbits of that action are called coadjoint orbits.
A ...
- 155
7
votes
1
answer
368
views
Does complexified isometry group act transitively on tangent bundle of compact Riemannian manifold?
$\DeclareMathOperator\SL{SL}\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}\DeclareMathOperator\O{O}\DeclareMathOperator\Iso{Iso}$Let $ g $ be the round metric on the sphere $ S^n $. Since $ S^...
- 4,081
7
votes
2
answers
499
views
Submanifolds of Lie groups with abelian normal bundle
Let $M$ be a submanifold of a symmetric space $Q$. The normal bundle $NM$ is called abelian if $\exp(N_{p}M)$ is contained in some totally geodesic and flat submanifold of $Q$ for all $p \in M$; see ...
- 965
7
votes
0
answers
656
views
Geodesics on algebraic manifold
A nonsingular algebraic manifold is an immersed manifold (slightly different from the usual embedded algebraic manifold) $M \subseteq \Bbb{R}^n$ that is also a nonsingular algebraic set (which means $...
- 1,543
7
votes
1
answer
744
views
Differential forms of a Lie group giving cohomology of the Lie group
Consider a manifold $M$. Then, we have the notion of differential forms on $M$ and complex associated to that, denoted by $$\cdots\rightarrow \Omega^{k-1}(M)\rightarrow \Omega^k(M)\rightarrow \Omega^{...
- 6,023
6
votes
4
answers
889
views
On the determination of a quadratic form from its isotropy group
Let $F:\mathbf{R}^n\rightarrow\mathbf{R}$ be a non-degenerate quadratic forms. Let
$$
O(F):=\{g\in GL_n(\mathbf{R}):F(gv)=F(v),\forall v\in \mathbf{R}^n\}
$$
be the isotropy group of $F$.
Q: So how ...
- 7,609
6
votes
2
answers
903
views
Ricci curvature of the symplectic group
Is the Ricci curvature of the compact symplectic group $Sp(n)$ bounded below by $cn$ for some constant $c > 0$ independent of $n$?
For $O(n)$ and $U(n)$ I know many references which state such a ...
- 11.4k
6
votes
1
answer
644
views
Torus bundles and compact solvmanifolds
I asked this question on MSE 9 days ago and it got a very helpful comment from Eric Towers providing the Palais Stewart reference, but no answers. So I'm crossposting it here.
Let
$$
T^n \to M \to T^m ...
- 4,081
6
votes
0
answers
147
views
Maximum symmetry metric on irreducible compact symmetric space
Let $ M $ be a compact connected manifold. The degree of symmetry of $ M $, denoted $ N(M) $, is the maximum of the dimensions of the isometry groups of all possible Riemannian structures on $ M $. ...
- 4,081