English

Decompositions of Kac-Moody groups

Group Theory 2017-08-21 v1

Abstract

Let GG be a split (minimal) Kac-Moody group over R\mathbb{R} or C\mathbb{C} with maximal torus TT, and let θ\theta be a Cartan-Chevalley involution of GG, twisted by complex conjugation, and satisfying that θ(T)=T\theta(T)=T. Furthermore, let KK be the subgroup fixed by θ\theta, and τ:GG,ggθ(g)1\tau:G\to G, g\mapsto g\theta(g)^{-1}. Let A:=τ(T)A:=\tau(T). In this note, we show resp. revisit that GG admits a (refined) Iwasawa decompositions G=UAKG=UAK. We also show that if GG is of non-spherical type, then it never admits a polar decomposition G=τ(G)KG=\tau(G)K nor a Cartan decompositions G=KAKG=KAK. This has implications for the geometrical structure of the Kac-Moody symmetric space G/Kτ(G)G/K \cong \tau(G).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1708.05566,
  title  = {Decompositions of Kac-Moody groups},
  author = {Max Horn},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1708.05566},
  year   = {2017}
}