On a compact connected group $G$, consider the infinitesimal generator $-L$ of a central symmetric Gaussian convolution semigroup $(\mu_t)_{t>0}$. Using appropriate notions of distribution and smooth function spaces, we prove that $L$ is hypoelliptic if and only if $(\mu_t)_{t>0} $ is absolutely continuous with respect to Haar measure and admits a continuous density $x\mapsto \mu_t(x)$, $t>0$, such that $\lim_{t\ra 0} t\log \mu_t(e)=0$. In particular, this condition holds if and only if any Borel measure $u$ which is solution of $Lu=0$ in an open set $\Omega$ can be represented by a continuous function in $\Omega$. Examples are discussed.

We describe the structure of the space of second order elliptic differential operators on a homogenous bundle over a compact Lie group. Subject to a technical condition, these operators are homotopic to the Laplacian. The technical condition is further investigated, with examples given where it holds and others where it does not. Since many spectral invariants are also homotopy invariants, these results provide information about the invariants of these operators.

We continue our investigation in [RST] of a martingale formed by picking a measurable set $A$ in a compact group $G$, taking random rotates of $A$, and considering measures of the resulting intersections, suitably normalized. Here we concentrate on the inverse problem of recognizing $A$ from a small amount of data from this martingale. This leads to problems in harmonic analysis on $G$, including an analysis of integrals of products of Gegenbauer polynomials.