Stabilizer of Sp(n) and U(n) in GL(n)











up vote
7
down vote

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I would be very grateful for a reference
to the following results (which are, I think, true,
though I never saw it in the literature).



Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be $U(n)$,
abd $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
$AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times U(n)$.



Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be the group
$Sp(n)$ of quaternionic Hermitian matrices,
and $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
$AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times Sp(n)times Sp(1)$.



Many thanks in advance.










share|cite|improve this question




























    up vote
    7
    down vote

    favorite












    I would be very grateful for a reference
    to the following results (which are, I think, true,
    though I never saw it in the literature).



    Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be $U(n)$,
    abd $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
    $AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times U(n)$.



    Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be the group
    $Sp(n)$ of quaternionic Hermitian matrices,
    and $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
    $AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times Sp(n)times Sp(1)$.



    Many thanks in advance.










    share|cite|improve this question


























      up vote
      7
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      7
      down vote

      favorite











      I would be very grateful for a reference
      to the following results (which are, I think, true,
      though I never saw it in the literature).



      Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be $U(n)$,
      abd $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
      $AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times U(n)$.



      Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be the group
      $Sp(n)$ of quaternionic Hermitian matrices,
      and $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
      $AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times Sp(n)times Sp(1)$.



      Many thanks in advance.










      share|cite|improve this question















      I would be very grateful for a reference
      to the following results (which are, I think, true,
      though I never saw it in the literature).



      Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be $U(n)$,
      abd $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
      $AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times U(n)$.



      Let $Gsubset GL(n,{Bbb C})$ be the group
      $Sp(n)$ of quaternionic Hermitian matrices,
      and $Ain GL(2n,{Bbb R})$ an endomorphism which satisfies
      $AGA^{-1}=G$. Then $Ain {Bbb R}^* times Sp(n)times Sp(1)$.



      Many thanks in advance.







      rt.representation-theory lie-groups algebraic-groups






      share|cite|improve this question















      share|cite|improve this question













      share|cite|improve this question




      share|cite|improve this question








      edited 2 days ago

























      asked 2 days ago









      Misha Verbitsky

      5,01411835




      5,01411835






















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

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          up vote
          12
          down vote



          accepted










          First, let me fix a misunderstanding: $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ does not sit in $mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$, but in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$, so I'll assume that you mean, for the second part that $A$ lies in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$.



          These both follow immediately from the facts that all the automorphisms of
          $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are either inner or conjugate-inner while the automorphisms of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ are are all inner.



          It's a bit easier to deal with the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case first since it has no outer automorphisms: If $Ain mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$ satisfies $Amathrm{Sp}(n)A^{-1}subset mathrm{Sp}(n)$, then consider the homomorphism $phi:mathrm{Sp}(n)to mathrm{Sp}(n)$ defined by $phi(g) = AgA^{-1}$. This is a smooth, injective homomorphism, so it must be a smooth automorphism. Since every automorphism of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{Sp}(n)$, it follows that $AgA^{-1} = hgh^{-1}$, so $h^{-1}A$ lies in the commuting ring of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ (intersected with the $mathbb{C}$-linear isomorphisms of $mathbb{C}^{2n}$), and this is simply the nonzero complex multiples of the identity (since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{C}^{2n}$). Thus, $A = lambda h$ for some $hin mathrm{Sp}(n)$ and some nonzero complex scalar $lambda$.



          For the $mathrm{U}(n)$ case, notice that the problem is equivalent to finding the conjugations that preserve the subgroup $mathrm{SU}(n)$, so we might as well ask for the $Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ such that $Amathrm{SU}(n)A^{-1}= mathrm{SU}(n)$. Now, there is a slight complication, because for $n>2$, not all of the automorphisms of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are inner. For example, the automorphism $psi(g) = bar g$ is not inner. Instead, every automorphism is either of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ or $phi(g) = hbar gh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$. However, it's easy to see that, for $n>2$, there is no pair $(A,h)$ such that $AgA^{-1} = hbar gh^{-1}$ for all $ginmathrm{SU}(n)$, so we only need to deal with the case $AgA^{-1} = h gh^{-1}$ with $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$ and $Ain mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$. Again, we find that $h^{-1}Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ must commute with all of the elements of $mathrm{SU}(n)$, and this can happen only if $h^{-1}A$ is a multiple of the identity (again because of the irreducibility of the action of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ on $mathbb{C}^n$).



          I think that the reason you haven't seen it in the literature is that it is such a direct consequence of well-known facts about Lie groups and representations.






          share|cite|improve this answer



















          • 1




            "conjugate" means "complex conjugate" (I remained confused for a while about the purported meaning of "conjugate-inner.)
            – YCor
            2 days ago










          • That's reasonable, thanks. I was thinking of applying Howe duality, but it is too much. I misprinted the question, by the way, it shoud be $Ain GL(2n, {Bbb R})$ - sorry.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • Of course, it is a question about isometries of a Kahler or a hyperkahler manifold, but you already guessed it I suppose.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • @MishaVerbitsky: Regarding your first comment, which I suppose was meant to refer to the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case: For that, you should have asked for $Ainmathrm{GL}(4n,mathbb{R})$, not $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{H}^n=mathbb{R}^{4n}$. In that case, what you find is that $h^{-1}A$ is an invertible element in the commuting ring over $mathbb{R}$ (instead of $mathbb{C}$). That commuting ring is indeed $mathbb{H}$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is the group of (right) $mathbb{H}$-linear orthgonal transformations, thus verifying your claim.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday












          • @MishaVerbitsky: Certainly, I knew that these facts were basic to the study of the isometry group of an irreducible Kähler or hyperKähler manifold, but I didn't guess that this is what motivated your question. I see that you have now edited your question to allow $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$ for the $mathrm{U}(n)$-case, which makes your proposed answer incorrect. In addition, you now have to allow $A$ to be conjugate-linear (i.e., there are two pieces to the group). For example, complex conjugation preserves the Fubini-Study metric on $mathbb{CP}^n$.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday













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          up vote
          12
          down vote



          accepted










          First, let me fix a misunderstanding: $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ does not sit in $mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$, but in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$, so I'll assume that you mean, for the second part that $A$ lies in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$.



          These both follow immediately from the facts that all the automorphisms of
          $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are either inner or conjugate-inner while the automorphisms of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ are are all inner.



          It's a bit easier to deal with the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case first since it has no outer automorphisms: If $Ain mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$ satisfies $Amathrm{Sp}(n)A^{-1}subset mathrm{Sp}(n)$, then consider the homomorphism $phi:mathrm{Sp}(n)to mathrm{Sp}(n)$ defined by $phi(g) = AgA^{-1}$. This is a smooth, injective homomorphism, so it must be a smooth automorphism. Since every automorphism of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{Sp}(n)$, it follows that $AgA^{-1} = hgh^{-1}$, so $h^{-1}A$ lies in the commuting ring of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ (intersected with the $mathbb{C}$-linear isomorphisms of $mathbb{C}^{2n}$), and this is simply the nonzero complex multiples of the identity (since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{C}^{2n}$). Thus, $A = lambda h$ for some $hin mathrm{Sp}(n)$ and some nonzero complex scalar $lambda$.



          For the $mathrm{U}(n)$ case, notice that the problem is equivalent to finding the conjugations that preserve the subgroup $mathrm{SU}(n)$, so we might as well ask for the $Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ such that $Amathrm{SU}(n)A^{-1}= mathrm{SU}(n)$. Now, there is a slight complication, because for $n>2$, not all of the automorphisms of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are inner. For example, the automorphism $psi(g) = bar g$ is not inner. Instead, every automorphism is either of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ or $phi(g) = hbar gh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$. However, it's easy to see that, for $n>2$, there is no pair $(A,h)$ such that $AgA^{-1} = hbar gh^{-1}$ for all $ginmathrm{SU}(n)$, so we only need to deal with the case $AgA^{-1} = h gh^{-1}$ with $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$ and $Ain mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$. Again, we find that $h^{-1}Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ must commute with all of the elements of $mathrm{SU}(n)$, and this can happen only if $h^{-1}A$ is a multiple of the identity (again because of the irreducibility of the action of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ on $mathbb{C}^n$).



          I think that the reason you haven't seen it in the literature is that it is such a direct consequence of well-known facts about Lie groups and representations.






          share|cite|improve this answer



















          • 1




            "conjugate" means "complex conjugate" (I remained confused for a while about the purported meaning of "conjugate-inner.)
            – YCor
            2 days ago










          • That's reasonable, thanks. I was thinking of applying Howe duality, but it is too much. I misprinted the question, by the way, it shoud be $Ain GL(2n, {Bbb R})$ - sorry.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • Of course, it is a question about isometries of a Kahler or a hyperkahler manifold, but you already guessed it I suppose.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • @MishaVerbitsky: Regarding your first comment, which I suppose was meant to refer to the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case: For that, you should have asked for $Ainmathrm{GL}(4n,mathbb{R})$, not $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{H}^n=mathbb{R}^{4n}$. In that case, what you find is that $h^{-1}A$ is an invertible element in the commuting ring over $mathbb{R}$ (instead of $mathbb{C}$). That commuting ring is indeed $mathbb{H}$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is the group of (right) $mathbb{H}$-linear orthgonal transformations, thus verifying your claim.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday












          • @MishaVerbitsky: Certainly, I knew that these facts were basic to the study of the isometry group of an irreducible Kähler or hyperKähler manifold, but I didn't guess that this is what motivated your question. I see that you have now edited your question to allow $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$ for the $mathrm{U}(n)$-case, which makes your proposed answer incorrect. In addition, you now have to allow $A$ to be conjugate-linear (i.e., there are two pieces to the group). For example, complex conjugation preserves the Fubini-Study metric on $mathbb{CP}^n$.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday

















          up vote
          12
          down vote



          accepted










          First, let me fix a misunderstanding: $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ does not sit in $mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$, but in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$, so I'll assume that you mean, for the second part that $A$ lies in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$.



          These both follow immediately from the facts that all the automorphisms of
          $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are either inner or conjugate-inner while the automorphisms of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ are are all inner.



          It's a bit easier to deal with the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case first since it has no outer automorphisms: If $Ain mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$ satisfies $Amathrm{Sp}(n)A^{-1}subset mathrm{Sp}(n)$, then consider the homomorphism $phi:mathrm{Sp}(n)to mathrm{Sp}(n)$ defined by $phi(g) = AgA^{-1}$. This is a smooth, injective homomorphism, so it must be a smooth automorphism. Since every automorphism of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{Sp}(n)$, it follows that $AgA^{-1} = hgh^{-1}$, so $h^{-1}A$ lies in the commuting ring of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ (intersected with the $mathbb{C}$-linear isomorphisms of $mathbb{C}^{2n}$), and this is simply the nonzero complex multiples of the identity (since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{C}^{2n}$). Thus, $A = lambda h$ for some $hin mathrm{Sp}(n)$ and some nonzero complex scalar $lambda$.



          For the $mathrm{U}(n)$ case, notice that the problem is equivalent to finding the conjugations that preserve the subgroup $mathrm{SU}(n)$, so we might as well ask for the $Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ such that $Amathrm{SU}(n)A^{-1}= mathrm{SU}(n)$. Now, there is a slight complication, because for $n>2$, not all of the automorphisms of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are inner. For example, the automorphism $psi(g) = bar g$ is not inner. Instead, every automorphism is either of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ or $phi(g) = hbar gh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$. However, it's easy to see that, for $n>2$, there is no pair $(A,h)$ such that $AgA^{-1} = hbar gh^{-1}$ for all $ginmathrm{SU}(n)$, so we only need to deal with the case $AgA^{-1} = h gh^{-1}$ with $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$ and $Ain mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$. Again, we find that $h^{-1}Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ must commute with all of the elements of $mathrm{SU}(n)$, and this can happen only if $h^{-1}A$ is a multiple of the identity (again because of the irreducibility of the action of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ on $mathbb{C}^n$).



          I think that the reason you haven't seen it in the literature is that it is such a direct consequence of well-known facts about Lie groups and representations.






          share|cite|improve this answer



















          • 1




            "conjugate" means "complex conjugate" (I remained confused for a while about the purported meaning of "conjugate-inner.)
            – YCor
            2 days ago










          • That's reasonable, thanks. I was thinking of applying Howe duality, but it is too much. I misprinted the question, by the way, it shoud be $Ain GL(2n, {Bbb R})$ - sorry.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • Of course, it is a question about isometries of a Kahler or a hyperkahler manifold, but you already guessed it I suppose.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • @MishaVerbitsky: Regarding your first comment, which I suppose was meant to refer to the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case: For that, you should have asked for $Ainmathrm{GL}(4n,mathbb{R})$, not $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{H}^n=mathbb{R}^{4n}$. In that case, what you find is that $h^{-1}A$ is an invertible element in the commuting ring over $mathbb{R}$ (instead of $mathbb{C}$). That commuting ring is indeed $mathbb{H}$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is the group of (right) $mathbb{H}$-linear orthgonal transformations, thus verifying your claim.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday












          • @MishaVerbitsky: Certainly, I knew that these facts were basic to the study of the isometry group of an irreducible Kähler or hyperKähler manifold, but I didn't guess that this is what motivated your question. I see that you have now edited your question to allow $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$ for the $mathrm{U}(n)$-case, which makes your proposed answer incorrect. In addition, you now have to allow $A$ to be conjugate-linear (i.e., there are two pieces to the group). For example, complex conjugation preserves the Fubini-Study metric on $mathbb{CP}^n$.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday















          up vote
          12
          down vote



          accepted







          up vote
          12
          down vote



          accepted






          First, let me fix a misunderstanding: $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ does not sit in $mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$, but in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$, so I'll assume that you mean, for the second part that $A$ lies in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$.



          These both follow immediately from the facts that all the automorphisms of
          $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are either inner or conjugate-inner while the automorphisms of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ are are all inner.



          It's a bit easier to deal with the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case first since it has no outer automorphisms: If $Ain mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$ satisfies $Amathrm{Sp}(n)A^{-1}subset mathrm{Sp}(n)$, then consider the homomorphism $phi:mathrm{Sp}(n)to mathrm{Sp}(n)$ defined by $phi(g) = AgA^{-1}$. This is a smooth, injective homomorphism, so it must be a smooth automorphism. Since every automorphism of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{Sp}(n)$, it follows that $AgA^{-1} = hgh^{-1}$, so $h^{-1}A$ lies in the commuting ring of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ (intersected with the $mathbb{C}$-linear isomorphisms of $mathbb{C}^{2n}$), and this is simply the nonzero complex multiples of the identity (since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{C}^{2n}$). Thus, $A = lambda h$ for some $hin mathrm{Sp}(n)$ and some nonzero complex scalar $lambda$.



          For the $mathrm{U}(n)$ case, notice that the problem is equivalent to finding the conjugations that preserve the subgroup $mathrm{SU}(n)$, so we might as well ask for the $Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ such that $Amathrm{SU}(n)A^{-1}= mathrm{SU}(n)$. Now, there is a slight complication, because for $n>2$, not all of the automorphisms of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are inner. For example, the automorphism $psi(g) = bar g$ is not inner. Instead, every automorphism is either of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ or $phi(g) = hbar gh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$. However, it's easy to see that, for $n>2$, there is no pair $(A,h)$ such that $AgA^{-1} = hbar gh^{-1}$ for all $ginmathrm{SU}(n)$, so we only need to deal with the case $AgA^{-1} = h gh^{-1}$ with $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$ and $Ain mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$. Again, we find that $h^{-1}Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ must commute with all of the elements of $mathrm{SU}(n)$, and this can happen only if $h^{-1}A$ is a multiple of the identity (again because of the irreducibility of the action of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ on $mathbb{C}^n$).



          I think that the reason you haven't seen it in the literature is that it is such a direct consequence of well-known facts about Lie groups and representations.






          share|cite|improve this answer














          First, let me fix a misunderstanding: $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ does not sit in $mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$, but in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$, so I'll assume that you mean, for the second part that $A$ lies in $mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$.



          These both follow immediately from the facts that all the automorphisms of
          $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are either inner or conjugate-inner while the automorphisms of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ are are all inner.



          It's a bit easier to deal with the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case first since it has no outer automorphisms: If $Ain mathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{C})$ satisfies $Amathrm{Sp}(n)A^{-1}subset mathrm{Sp}(n)$, then consider the homomorphism $phi:mathrm{Sp}(n)to mathrm{Sp}(n)$ defined by $phi(g) = AgA^{-1}$. This is a smooth, injective homomorphism, so it must be a smooth automorphism. Since every automorphism of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{Sp}(n)$, it follows that $AgA^{-1} = hgh^{-1}$, so $h^{-1}A$ lies in the commuting ring of $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ (intersected with the $mathbb{C}$-linear isomorphisms of $mathbb{C}^{2n}$), and this is simply the nonzero complex multiples of the identity (since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{C}^{2n}$). Thus, $A = lambda h$ for some $hin mathrm{Sp}(n)$ and some nonzero complex scalar $lambda$.



          For the $mathrm{U}(n)$ case, notice that the problem is equivalent to finding the conjugations that preserve the subgroup $mathrm{SU}(n)$, so we might as well ask for the $Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ such that $Amathrm{SU}(n)A^{-1}= mathrm{SU}(n)$. Now, there is a slight complication, because for $n>2$, not all of the automorphisms of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ are inner. For example, the automorphism $psi(g) = bar g$ is not inner. Instead, every automorphism is either of the form $phi(g) = hgh^{-1}$ or $phi(g) = hbar gh^{-1}$ for some $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$. However, it's easy to see that, for $n>2$, there is no pair $(A,h)$ such that $AgA^{-1} = hbar gh^{-1}$ for all $ginmathrm{SU}(n)$, so we only need to deal with the case $AgA^{-1} = h gh^{-1}$ with $hinmathrm{SU}(n)$ and $Ain mathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$. Again, we find that $h^{-1}Ainmathrm{GL}(n,mathbb{C})$ must commute with all of the elements of $mathrm{SU}(n)$, and this can happen only if $h^{-1}A$ is a multiple of the identity (again because of the irreducibility of the action of $mathrm{SU}(n)$ on $mathbb{C}^n$).



          I think that the reason you haven't seen it in the literature is that it is such a direct consequence of well-known facts about Lie groups and representations.







          share|cite|improve this answer














          share|cite|improve this answer



          share|cite|improve this answer








          edited 2 days ago

























          answered 2 days ago









          Robert Bryant

          72.4k5213312




          72.4k5213312








          • 1




            "conjugate" means "complex conjugate" (I remained confused for a while about the purported meaning of "conjugate-inner.)
            – YCor
            2 days ago










          • That's reasonable, thanks. I was thinking of applying Howe duality, but it is too much. I misprinted the question, by the way, it shoud be $Ain GL(2n, {Bbb R})$ - sorry.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • Of course, it is a question about isometries of a Kahler or a hyperkahler manifold, but you already guessed it I suppose.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • @MishaVerbitsky: Regarding your first comment, which I suppose was meant to refer to the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case: For that, you should have asked for $Ainmathrm{GL}(4n,mathbb{R})$, not $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{H}^n=mathbb{R}^{4n}$. In that case, what you find is that $h^{-1}A$ is an invertible element in the commuting ring over $mathbb{R}$ (instead of $mathbb{C}$). That commuting ring is indeed $mathbb{H}$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is the group of (right) $mathbb{H}$-linear orthgonal transformations, thus verifying your claim.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday












          • @MishaVerbitsky: Certainly, I knew that these facts were basic to the study of the isometry group of an irreducible Kähler or hyperKähler manifold, but I didn't guess that this is what motivated your question. I see that you have now edited your question to allow $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$ for the $mathrm{U}(n)$-case, which makes your proposed answer incorrect. In addition, you now have to allow $A$ to be conjugate-linear (i.e., there are two pieces to the group). For example, complex conjugation preserves the Fubini-Study metric on $mathbb{CP}^n$.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday
















          • 1




            "conjugate" means "complex conjugate" (I remained confused for a while about the purported meaning of "conjugate-inner.)
            – YCor
            2 days ago










          • That's reasonable, thanks. I was thinking of applying Howe duality, but it is too much. I misprinted the question, by the way, it shoud be $Ain GL(2n, {Bbb R})$ - sorry.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • Of course, it is a question about isometries of a Kahler or a hyperkahler manifold, but you already guessed it I suppose.
            – Misha Verbitsky
            2 days ago










          • @MishaVerbitsky: Regarding your first comment, which I suppose was meant to refer to the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case: For that, you should have asked for $Ainmathrm{GL}(4n,mathbb{R})$, not $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{H}^n=mathbb{R}^{4n}$. In that case, what you find is that $h^{-1}A$ is an invertible element in the commuting ring over $mathbb{R}$ (instead of $mathbb{C}$). That commuting ring is indeed $mathbb{H}$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is the group of (right) $mathbb{H}$-linear orthgonal transformations, thus verifying your claim.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday












          • @MishaVerbitsky: Certainly, I knew that these facts were basic to the study of the isometry group of an irreducible Kähler or hyperKähler manifold, but I didn't guess that this is what motivated your question. I see that you have now edited your question to allow $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$ for the $mathrm{U}(n)$-case, which makes your proposed answer incorrect. In addition, you now have to allow $A$ to be conjugate-linear (i.e., there are two pieces to the group). For example, complex conjugation preserves the Fubini-Study metric on $mathbb{CP}^n$.
            – Robert Bryant
            yesterday










          1




          1




          "conjugate" means "complex conjugate" (I remained confused for a while about the purported meaning of "conjugate-inner.)
          – YCor
          2 days ago




          "conjugate" means "complex conjugate" (I remained confused for a while about the purported meaning of "conjugate-inner.)
          – YCor
          2 days ago












          That's reasonable, thanks. I was thinking of applying Howe duality, but it is too much. I misprinted the question, by the way, it shoud be $Ain GL(2n, {Bbb R})$ - sorry.
          – Misha Verbitsky
          2 days ago




          That's reasonable, thanks. I was thinking of applying Howe duality, but it is too much. I misprinted the question, by the way, it shoud be $Ain GL(2n, {Bbb R})$ - sorry.
          – Misha Verbitsky
          2 days ago












          Of course, it is a question about isometries of a Kahler or a hyperkahler manifold, but you already guessed it I suppose.
          – Misha Verbitsky
          2 days ago




          Of course, it is a question about isometries of a Kahler or a hyperkahler manifold, but you already guessed it I suppose.
          – Misha Verbitsky
          2 days ago












          @MishaVerbitsky: Regarding your first comment, which I suppose was meant to refer to the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case: For that, you should have asked for $Ainmathrm{GL}(4n,mathbb{R})$, not $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{H}^n=mathbb{R}^{4n}$. In that case, what you find is that $h^{-1}A$ is an invertible element in the commuting ring over $mathbb{R}$ (instead of $mathbb{C}$). That commuting ring is indeed $mathbb{H}$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is the group of (right) $mathbb{H}$-linear orthgonal transformations, thus verifying your claim.
          – Robert Bryant
          yesterday






          @MishaVerbitsky: Regarding your first comment, which I suppose was meant to refer to the $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ case: For that, you should have asked for $Ainmathrm{GL}(4n,mathbb{R})$, not $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ acts irreducibly on $mathbb{H}^n=mathbb{R}^{4n}$. In that case, what you find is that $h^{-1}A$ is an invertible element in the commuting ring over $mathbb{R}$ (instead of $mathbb{C}$). That commuting ring is indeed $mathbb{H}$, since $mathrm{Sp}(n)$ is the group of (right) $mathbb{H}$-linear orthgonal transformations, thus verifying your claim.
          – Robert Bryant
          yesterday














          @MishaVerbitsky: Certainly, I knew that these facts were basic to the study of the isometry group of an irreducible Kähler or hyperKähler manifold, but I didn't guess that this is what motivated your question. I see that you have now edited your question to allow $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$ for the $mathrm{U}(n)$-case, which makes your proposed answer incorrect. In addition, you now have to allow $A$ to be conjugate-linear (i.e., there are two pieces to the group). For example, complex conjugation preserves the Fubini-Study metric on $mathbb{CP}^n$.
          – Robert Bryant
          yesterday






          @MishaVerbitsky: Certainly, I knew that these facts were basic to the study of the isometry group of an irreducible Kähler or hyperKähler manifold, but I didn't guess that this is what motivated your question. I see that you have now edited your question to allow $Ainmathrm{GL}(2n,mathbb{R})$ for the $mathrm{U}(n)$-case, which makes your proposed answer incorrect. In addition, you now have to allow $A$ to be conjugate-linear (i.e., there are two pieces to the group). For example, complex conjugation preserves the Fubini-Study metric on $mathbb{CP}^n$.
          – Robert Bryant
          yesterday




















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