We explicitly describe the decomposition into irreducibles of the restriction of the principal series representations of $SL(2,k)$, for $k$ a $p$-adic field, to each of its two maximal compact subgroups (up to conjugacy). We identify these irreducible subrepresentations in the Kirillov-type classification of Shalika. We go on to explicitly describe the decomposition of the reducible principal series of $SL(2,k)$ in terms of the restrictions of its irreducible constituents to a maximal compact subgroup.

We investigate the problem of whether every immersed flat plane in a nonpositively curved square complex is the limit of periodic flat planes. Using a branched cover, we reduce the problem to the case of $\V$-complexes. We solve the problem for malnormal and cyclonormal $\V$-complexes. We also solve the problem for complete square complexes using a different approach. We give an application towards deciding whether the elements of fundamental groups of the spaces we study have commuting powers. We note a connection between the flat approximation problem and subgroup separability.

Let $\sigma$, $\theta$ be commuting involutions of the connected semisimple algebraic group $G$ where $\sigma$, $\theta$ and $G$ are defined over an algebraically closed field $\k$, $\Char \k=0$. Let $H:=G^\sigma$ and $K:=G^\theta$ be the fixed point groups. We have an action $(H\times K)\times G\to G$, where $((h,k),g)\mapsto hgk\inv$, $h\in H$, $k\in K$, $g\in G$. Let $\quot G{(H\times K)}$ denote the categorical quotient $\Spec \O(G)^{H\times K}$. We determine when this quotient is smooth. Our results are a generalization of those of Steinberg \cite{Steinberg75}, Pittie \cite{Pittie72} and Richardson \cite{Rich82b} in the symmetric case where $\sigma=\theta$ and $H=K$.

A coplactic class in the symmetric group $\Sym_n$ consists of all permutations in $\Sym_n$ with a given Schensted $Q$-symbol, and may be described in terms of local relations introduced by Knuth. Any Lie element in the group algebra of $\Sym_n$ which is constant on coplactic classes is already constant on descent classes. As a consequence, the intersection of the Lie convolution algebra introduced by Patras and Reutenauer and the coplactic algebra introduced by Poirier and Reutenauer is the direct sum of all Solomon descent algebras.

We investigate the structure of the centralizer of a regular unipotent element of a Levi subgroup of a reductive group. We also investigate the structure of the group of components of this centralizer in relation with the notion of cuspidal local system defined by Lusztig. We determine its unipotent radical, we prove that it admits a Levi complement, and we get some properties on its Weyl group. As an application, we prove some results which were announced in previous paper on regular unipotent elements. Nous \'etudions la structure du centralisateur d'un \'el\'ement unipotent r\'egulier d'un sous-groupe de Levi d'un groupe r\'eductif, ainsi que la structure du groupe des composantes de ce centralisateur en relation avec la notion de syst\`eme local cuspidal d\'efinie par Lusztig. Nous d\'eterminons son radical unipotent, montrons l'existence d'un compl\'ement de Levi et \'etudions la structure de son groupe de Weyl. Comme application, nous d\'emontrons des r\'esultats qui \'etaient annonc\'es dans un pr\'ec\'edent article de l'auteur sur les \'el\'ements unipotents r\'eguliers.

We provide an explicit thick and thin decomposition for oriented hyperbolic manifolds $M$ of dimension $5$. The result implies improved universal lower bounds for the volume $\rmvol_5(M)$ and, for $M$ compact, new estimates relating the injectivity radius and the diameter of $M$ with $\rmvol_5(M)$. The quantification of the thin part is based upon the identification of the isometry group of the universal space by the matrix group $\PS_\Delta {\rm L} (2,\mathbb{H})$ of quaternionic $2\times 2$-matrices with Dieudonn\'e determinant $\Delta$ equal to $1$ and isolation properties of $\PS_\Delta {\rm L} (2,\mathbb{H})$.

An $E$-ring is a unital ring $R$ such that every endomorphism of the underlying abelian group $R^+$ is multiplication by some ring element. The existence of almost-free $E$-rings of cardinality greater than $2^{\aleph_0}$ is undecidable in $\ZFC$. While they exist in G\"odel's universe, they do not exist in other models of set theory. For a regular cardinal $\aleph_1 \leq \lambda \leq 2^{\aleph_0}$ we construct $E$-rings of cardinality $\lambda$ in $\ZFC$ which have $\aleph_1$-free additive structure. For $\lambda=\aleph_1$ we therefore obtain the existence of almost-free $E$-rings of cardinality $\aleph_1$ in $\ZFC$.

We define a total ordering of the pure braid groups which is invariant under multiplication on both sides. This ordering is natural in several respects. Moreover, it well-orders the pure braids which are positive in the sense of Garside. The ordering is defined using a combination of Artin's combing technique and the Magnus expansion of free groups, and is explicit and algorithmic. By contrast, the full braid groups (on 3 or more strings) can be ordered in such a way as to be invariant on one side or the other, but not both simultaneously. Finally, we remark that the same type of ordering can be applied to the fundamental groups of certain complex hyperplane arrangements, a direct generalization of the pure braid groups.

Let $\mathbf{R}/R$ be a quadratic extension of finite, commutative, local and principal rings of odd characteristic. Denote by $\mathbf{U}_n (\mathbf{R})$ the unitary group of rank $n$ associated to $\mathbf{R}/R$. The Weil representation of $\mathbf{U}_n (\mathbf{R})$ is defined and its character is explicitly computed.

In this article we state and prove precise theorems on the homotopy classification of graded categorical groups and their homomorphisms. The results use equivariant group cohomology, and they are applied to show a treatment of the general equivariant group extension problem.

Willis's structure theory of totally disconnected locally compact groups is investigated in the context of permutation actions. This leads to new interpretations of the basic concepts in the theory and also to new proofs of the fundamental theorems and to several new results. The treatment of Willis's theory is self-contained and full proofs are given of all the fundamental results.

Monotone paths on zonotopes and the natural generalization to maximal chains in the poset of topes of an oriented matroid or arrangement of pseudo-hyperplanes are studied with respect to a kind of local move, called polygon move or flip. It is proved that any monotone path on a $d$-dimensional zonotope with $n$ generators admits at least $\lceil 2n/(n-d+2) \rceil-1$ flips for all $n \ge d+2 \ge 4$ and that for any fixed value of $n-d$, this lower bound is sharp for infinitely many values of $n$. In particular, monotone paths on zonotopes which admit only three flips are constructed in each dimension $d \ge 3$. Furthermore, the previously known 2-connectivity of the graph of monotone paths on a polytope is extended to the 2-connectivity of the graph of maximal chains of topes of an oriented matroid. An application in the context of Coxeter groups of a result known to be valid for monotone paths on simple zonotopes is included.

For every integer $n>1$ and infinite field $F$ we construct a spectral sequence converging to the homology of $\GL_n(F)$ relative to the group of monomial matrices $\GM_n(F)$. Some entries in $E^2$-terms of these spectral sequences may be interpreted as a natural generalization of the Bloch group to higher dimensions. These groups may be characterized as homology of $\GL_n$ relatively to $\GL_{n-1}$ and $\GM_n$. We apply the machinery developed to the investigation of stabilization maps in homology of General Linear Groups.

Let $G$ be an algebraic group and let $X$ be a generically free $G$-variety. We show that $X$ can be transformed, by a sequence of blowups with smooth $G$-equivariant centers, into a $G$-variety $X'$ with the following property the stabilizer of every point of $X'$ is isomorphic to a semidirect product $U \sdp A$ of a unipotent group $U$ and a diagonalizable group $A$. As an application of this result, we prove new lower bounds on essential dimensions of some algebraic groups. We also show that certain polynomials in one variable cannot be simplified by a Tschirnhaus transformation.

For a reductive $p$-adic group $G$, we compute the supports of the Hecke algebras for the $K$-types for $G$ lying in a certain frequently-occurring class. When $G$ is classical, we compute the intertwining between any two such $K$-types.

We study $K$-orbits in $G/P$ where $G$ is a complex connected reductive group, $P \subseteq G$ is a parabolic subgroup, and $K \subseteq G$ is the fixed point subgroup of an involutive automorphism $\theta$. Generalizing work of Springer, we parametrize the (finite) orbit set $K \setminus G \slash P$ and we determine the isotropy groups. As a consequence, we describe the closed (resp. affine) orbits in terms of $\theta$-stable (resp. $\theta$-split) parabolic subgroups. We also describe the decomposition of any $(K,P)$-double coset in $G$ into $(K,B)$-double cosets, where $B \subseteq P$ is a Borel subgroup. Finally, for certain $K$-orbit closures $X \subseteq G/B$, and for any homogeneous line bundle $\mathcal{L}$ on $G/B$ having nonzero global sections, we show that the restriction map $\res_X \colon H^0 (G/B, \mathcal{L}) \to H^0 (X, \mathcal{L})$ is surjective and that $H^i (X, \mathcal{L}) = 0$ for $i \geq 1$. Moreover, we describe the $K$-module $H^0 (X, \mathcal{L})$. This gives information on the restriction to $K$ of the simple $G$-module $H^0 (G/B, \mathcal{L})$. Our construction is a geometric analogue of Vogan and Sepanski's approach to extremal $K$-types.

In the first part of this paper generalizations of Hesselink's $q$-analog of Kostant's multiplicity formula for the action of a semisimple Lie group on the polynomials on its Lie algebra are given in the context of the Kostant-Rallis theorem. They correspond to the cases of real semisimple Lie groups with one conjugacy class of Cartan subgroup. In the second part of the paper a $q$-analog of the Kostant-Rallis theorem is given for the real group $\SL(4,\mathbb{R})$ (that is $\SO(4)$ acting on symmetric $4 \times 4$ matrices). This example plays two roles. First it contrasts with the examples of the first part. Second it has implications to the study of entanglement of mixed 2 qubit states in quantum computation.

Subadditivity, sublinearity, submultiplicativity, and other conditions are considered for spectra of pairs of operators on a Hilbert space. Sublinearity, for example, is a weakening of the well-known property~$L$ and means $\sigma(A+\lambda B) \subseteq \sigma(A) + \lambda \sigma(B)$ for all scalars $\lambda$. The effect of these conditions is examined on commutativity, reducibility, and triangularizability of multiplicative semigroups of operators. A sample result is that sublinearity of spectra implies simultaneous triangularizability for a semigroup of compact operators.

Let $G$ be a finite group generated by (pseudo-) reflections in a complex vector space and let $g$ be any linear transformation which normalises $G$. In an earlier paper, the authors showed how to associate with any maximal eigenspace of an element of the coset $gG$, a subquotient of $G$ which acts as a reflection group on the eigenspace. In this work, we address the questions of irreducibility and the coexponents of this subquotient, as well as centralisers in $G$ of certain elements of the coset. A criterion is also given in terms of the invariant degrees of $G$ for an integer to be regular for $G$. A key tool is the investigation of extensions of invariant vector fields on the eigenspace, which leads to some results and questions concerning the geometry of intersections of invariant hypersurfaces.

Matrices whose entries belong to certain rings of algebraic integers can be associated with discrete groups of transformations of inversive $n$-space or hyperbolic $(n+1)$-space $\mbox{H}^{n+1}$. For small $n$, these may be Coxeter groups, generated by reflections, or certain subgroups whose generators include direct isometries of $\mbox{H}^{n+1}$. We show how linear fractional transformations over rings of rational and (real or imaginary) quadratic integers are related to the symmetry groups of regular tilings of the hyperbolic plane or 3-space. New light is shed on the properties of the rational modular group $\PSL_2 (\bbZ)$, the Gaussian modular (Picard) group $\PSL_2 (\bbZ[{\it i}])$, and the Eisenstein modular group $\PSL_2 (\bbZ[\omega ])$.

We determine and completely describe all pure realizations of the finite regular toroidal polyhedra of types $\{3,6\}$ and $\{6,3\}$.

The semi-affine Coxeter-Dynkin graph is introduced, generalizing both the affine and the finite types.

In this paper we describe a canonical basis for the equivariant $K$-theory (with respect to a $\bc^*$-action) of the variety of Borel subalgebras containing a subregular nilpotent element of a simple complex Lie algebra of type $D$ or~$E$.

A reflection is an invertible linear transformation of a vector space fixing a given hyperplane, its axis, vectorwise and a given complement to this hyperplane, its center, setwise. A reflection torus is a one-dimensional group generated by all reflections with fixed axis and center. In this paper we classify subgroups of general linear groups (in arbitrary dimension and defined over arbitrary fields) generated by reflection tori.

When $H$ is a finite dimensional, semisimple, almost cocommutative Hopf algebra, we examine a table of characters which extends the notion of the character table for a finite group. We obtain a formula for the structure constants of the representation ring in terms of values in the character table, and give the example of the quantum double of a finite group. We give a basis of the centre of $H$ which generalizes the conjugacy class sums of a finite group, and express the class equation of $H$ in terms of this basis. We show that the representation ring and the centre of $H$ are dual character algebras (or signed hypergroups).