Locally Mixed Symmetric Spaces

What do the classification of algebraic surfaces, Weyl's dimension formula and maximal orders in central simple algebras have in common? All are related to a type of manifold called locally mixed symmetric spaces in this book. The presentation emphasizes geometric concepts and relations and gives each reader the "roter Faden", starting from the basics and proceeding towards quite advanced topics which lie at the intersection of differential and algebraic geometry, algebra and topology. Avoiding technicalities and assuming only a working knowledge of real Lie groups, the text provides a wealth of examples of symmetric spaces. The last two chapters deal with one particular case (Kuga fiber spaces) and a generalization (elliptic surfaces), both of which require some knowledge of algebraic geometry. Of interest to topologists, differential or algebraic geometers working in areas related to arithmetic groups, the book also offers an introduction to the ideas for non-experts.

This book is the first one of a work in several volumes, treating the history of the development of topology. The work contains papers which can be classified into 4 main areas. Thus there are contributions dealing with the life and work of individual topologists, with specific schools of topology, with research in topology in various countries, and with the development of topology in different periods. The work is not restricted to topology in the strictest sense but also deals with applications and generalisations in a broad sense. Thus it also treats, e.g., categorical topology, interactions with functional analysis, convergence spaces, and uniform spaces. Written by specialists in the field, it contains a wealth of information which is not available anywhere else.

Differential Geometry and Symmetric Spaces

Sigurdur Helgason's Differential Geometry and Symmetric Spaces was quickly recognized as a remarkable and important book. For many years, it was the standard text both for Riemannian geometry and for the analysis and geometry of symmetric spaces. Several generations of mathematicians relied on it for its clarity and careful attention to detail. Although much has happened in the field since the publication of this book, as demonstrated by Helgason's own three-volume expansion of the original work, this single volume is still an excellent overview of the subjects. For instance, even though there are now many competing texts, the chapters on differential geometry and Lie groups continue to be among the best treatments of the subjects available. There is also a well-developed treatment of Cartan's classification and structure theory of symmetric spaces. The last chapter, on functions on symmetric spaces, remains an excellent introduction to the study of spherical functions, the theory of invariant differential operators, and other topics in harmonic analysis. This text is rightly called a classic.

A great book ... a necessary item in any mathematical library. --S. S. Chern, University of California A brilliant book: rigorous, tightly organized, and covering a vast amount of good mathematics. --Barrett O'Neill, University of California This is obviously a very valuable and well thought-out book on an important subject. --Andre Weil, Institute for Advanced Study The study of homogeneous spaces provides excellent insights into both differential geometry and Lie groups. In geometry, for instance, general theorems and properties will also hold for homogeneous spaces, and will usually be easier to understand and to prove in this setting. For Lie groups, a significant amount of analysis either begins with or reduces to analysis on homogeneous spaces, frequently on symmetric spaces. For many years and for many mathematicians, Sigurdur Helgason's classic Differential Geometry, Lie Groups, and Symmetric Spaces has been--and continues to be--the standard source for this material. Helgason begins with a concise, self-contained introduction to differential geometry. Next is a careful treatment of the foundations of the theory of Lie groups, presented in a manner that since 1962 has served as a model to a number of subsequent authors. This sets the stage for the introduction and study of symmetric spaces, which form the central part of the book. The text concludes with the classification of symmetric spaces by means of the Killing-Cartan classification of simple Lie algebras over $\mathbb{C}$ and Cartan's classification of simple Lie algebras over $\mathbb{R}$, following a method of Victor Kac. The excellent exposition is supplemented by extensive collections of useful exercises at the end of each chapter. All of the problems have either solutions or substantial hints, found at the back of the book. For this edition, the author has made corrections and added helpful notes and useful references. Sigurdur Helgason was awarded the Steele Prize for Differential Geometry, Lie Groups, and Symmetric Spaces and Groups and Geometric Analysis.

Introduces uniform constructions of most of the known compactifications of symmetric and locally symmetric spaces, with emphasis on their geometric and topological structures Relatively self-contained reference aimed at graduate students and research mathematicians interested in the applications of Lie theory and representation theory to analysis, number theory, algebraic geometry and algebraic topology