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11 votes
1 answer
1k views

Classification of (not necessarily connected) compact Lie groups

I am looking for a classification of compact (not necessarily connected) Lie groups. Clearly, all such groups are extensions of a finite "component group" $\pi_0(G)$ by a compact connected ...
15 votes
2 answers
613 views

Existence of a regular semisimple element over $\mathbb{F}_{q}$

This is probably old, a Chevalley level of old, but I'm not at all an expert in this field so I need help. Let $G$ be a simply connected (almost) simple linear algebraic group defined over $K=\mathbb{...
10 votes
2 answers
914 views

Finite subgroups of $\mathrm{SO}(n)$ and $\mathrm{O}(n)$

Question 1:Is there a reference that lists all possible finite subgroups and their orders of $\mathrm{SO}(n)$ and $\mathrm{O}(n)$ for $n=4$ or even higher $n$ over the real numbers? I can only find ...
1 vote
0 answers
97 views

A duality of finite groups coming from a surjective homomorphism with finite kernel of algebraic tori

$\newcommand{\Hom}{{\rm Hom}} \newcommand{\Gm}{{{\mathbb G}_{m,{\Bbb C}}}} \newcommand{\X}{{\sf X}} $ I am looking for a reference for the following lemma (for which I know a proof): Lemma. Let $\...
4 votes
1 answer
326 views

Is a Lie subgroup whose center is closed, a closed subgroup itself?

I want to show that a certain Lie subgroup (i.e. generated by the exponential of elements in some Lie subalgebra) of a Lie group is closed. My knowledge of the subject of Lie groups is rudimentary, ...
6 votes
0 answers
234 views

Nascent formal group law

$\DeclareMathOperator\FGL{FGL}$The formal group law (cf. Wikipedia, Ex. 1.6 of nLab, Hazewinkel) derived from an analytic function or formal series $f(x) = x + a_2 x^2 + a_3 x^3 + ...$ and its formal ...
3 votes
0 answers
205 views

Status of RFD groups and $C^*$-algebras

Motivated by this question and its great answers, I become very curious to know what do we know about RFD (residually finite dimensional) groups and $C^*$-algebras, e.g. do we know how these ...
4 votes
0 answers
320 views

Finite subgroup of $\mathrm{SO}(4)$ which acts freely on $\mathbb{S}^3$

Let $\Gamma$ be a finite subgroup of $\mathrm{SO}(4)$ acting freely on $\mathbb{S}^3$. It is known that all such $\Gamma$ can be classified. Is there any characterization of $\Gamma$ such that $\Gamma$...
10 votes
2 answers
538 views

Is there an analogue of Mostow-Palais equivariant embedding theorem for noncompact groups

Let $M$ be a (Hausdorff) smooth compact manifold and $G$ a Lie group acting smoothly on $M$. If $G$ is compact then, by Mostow-Palais theorem, there exists an equivariant smooth embedding $M\to {\...
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Malcev's paper "On a class of homogeneous spaces" in English

I am struggling to find the English translation of Malcev's paper "On a class of homogenous spaces" providing foundational material for nil-manifolds. To be precise this paper: Malcev, A. I. On a ...
2 votes
1 answer
217 views

A variation of closed-subgroup theorem

$\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}$Recall that the closed-subgroup theorem (Wikipedia link) says that a closed subgroup of a Lie group is a Lie group. I am pretty sure that this theorem should have a "...
4 votes
0 answers
552 views

Lattices of $\mathbb{R}^s \ltimes_\varphi \mathbb{R}^k$

Edit: Thoughts updated (22/3/2021). I've come across with the following problem. Let $G=\mathbb{R}^s \ltimes_\varphi \mathbb{R}^k$ where $\varphi:\mathbb{R}^s\to \mathrm{Aut}(\mathbb{R}^k)=\mathsf{GL}(...
8 votes
2 answers
482 views

Parabolics and simple roots for a special unitary group: reference request

I am looking for a reference where the relative root system, the relative system of simple roots, and parabolic $\Bbb R$-subgroups for the real algebraic group ${\rm SU}(p,q)$ are explicitly computed. ...
3 votes
1 answer
276 views

For $G$ an adjoint Chevalley group, are all of $G(\mathbb Z)$'s finite-index subgroups congruence subgroups?

Let $G$ be an adjoint Chevalley group. Are all of $G(\mathbb Z)$'s finite-index subgroups congruence subgroups? I read a theorem that states: When $G$ is the universal Chevalley group and it's not of ...
7 votes
2 answers
669 views

Élie Cartan's paper "Les groupes réels simples, finis et continus" of 1914

Question 1. Does Élie Cartan's paper Les groupes réels simples, finis et continus, Ann. Sci. École Norm. Sup. (3) 31 (1914), 263–355 contain a classification of $\Bbb C$-linear involutions of simple ...
3 votes
0 answers
58 views

Isoclinism for Lie groups: existing accounts of basic properties?

Philip Hall introduced the relation of isoclinism between two groups. One statement of the definition (not Hall's original statement) is to introduce a category whose objects are the canonical maps $$...
1 vote
0 answers
76 views

Nomenclature: does this coset space have a name?

in my work I tripped on a specific coset space and before starting thinking about it by myself, I wanted to check the literature. However, I do not know if the object has a name (which makes ...
2 votes
1 answer
82 views

Structure of extensions arising in Lie approximation of connected groups

My imperfect understanding is that, by the work of various authors (Gleason, Yamabe, Montgomery, Zippin ...), the following result is known: Let $G$ be a connected, locally compact, Hausdorff group, ...
4 votes
1 answer
119 views

Reference for nonquasi-split groups of type $E_6$ and $E_7$ over local fields

The semisimple groups over a local field have been classified by Tits, cf. [1] "Classification of algebraic semisimple groups" in Boulder and [2] "Reductive groups over local fields" in Corvallis. In ...
3 votes
0 answers
136 views

Existence of loxodromic elements in certain subsets of $\text{PSL}_2(\mathbb C)$

Let $R$ be a subset of $\text{PSL}_2(\mathbb C)$ and consider its natural action on $\mathbb {CP}^1$. We say that $R$ is elementary if either $R$ is conjugated to a subset of $\text{SU(2)}$ or if ...
7 votes
1 answer
237 views

Finite subgroups of $PSU(3)$

I'm looking for a reference to a classification or description of finite subgroups of $SU(3)$ that contain the center, or equivalently $PSU(3)$. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

Easy argument for "connected simple real rank zero Lie groups are compact"?

Let $G$ be a connected simple Lie group. It is known that if $G$ has real rank zero, then $G$ is compact. Background: every connected (semi)simple Lie group $G$ (with Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$) has ...
3 votes
0 answers
184 views

Mackey Obstruction Class with Integral Coefficients

Consider an exact sequence of groups \begin{equation} 1\rightarrow H\rightarrow K\rightarrow G \rightarrow1~. \end{equation} Mackey theory enables us to understand representations of $K$ in terms of ...
0 votes
1 answer
434 views

Reference request: Any connected Lie group has a countable base for its topology

I am looking for a reference for the assertion in the title. This assertion is proved in a comment of user nfdc23 to this question. Has any proof of this assertion been published?
3 votes
2 answers
337 views

Does every embedding of one unipotent group (over R) in another extend to an embedding of the respective upper triangular matrix groups?

Let $T^*$ denote upper triangular matrices (of the appropriate size) with positive diagonal entries and $\mathrm{UT}$ upper triangular matrices with all diagonal entries equal to 1. Does every (...
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Maximal compact subgroups of a semisimple Lie group are conjugate

I'm trying to go through the proof that all maximal compact subgroups of a semisimple Lie group $G$ are conjugate. I know that a possible proof follows the following steps: Take one maximal compact ...
5 votes
2 answers
452 views

"geometric" description of the algebra of central functions on a Lie group

I am looking for a a description of the algebra of continuous central functions on a group, say a compact simple Lie group $G$, as the algebra of all continuous functions on a "nice" compact Hausdorff ...
1 vote
2 answers
341 views

Copies of ax+b inside the AN part of an Iwasawa decomposition?

As a relative novice to the structure theory of Lie algebras and Lie groups, the following is what I can gather from reading parts of Helgason's book DG, Lie groups and symmetric spaces and Knapp's ...
2 votes
0 answers
165 views

Reference request: injective homomorphisms between unitary groups

Let $U(n)$ be the group of unitary $n\times n$ matrices over $\mathbb{C}$. Is there a classification of the continuous, injective group homomorphisms $U(m)\to U(n)$? If so, is there a modern account ...
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Decomposition of semisimple Lie group into almost simple factors

Can anyone suggest a reference that defines or explains that a semisimple real Lie group can be decomposed into a product of almost simple factors? In some papers that I read recently people keep talk ...