Dedicated to the 90th birthday anniversary of Professor G.

Chogoshvili

GENERALIZED HEISENBERG GROUPS AND SHTERNS QUESTION

1. Groups of Heisenberg type Recall that the classical real 3-dimensional Heisenberg group can be dened as a linear group of the following matrices: 1 a c 0 1 b 0 0 1 where a, b, c R. This group is isomorphic to the semidirect product (R R) R of R R and R. We need a natural generalization (see, for example, [14, 12, 7]) which is based on biadditive mappings. Denition 1.1. Let E, F and A be Hausdor abelian topological groups and w : E F A be a continuous biadditive mapping. Denote by H (w) = (A E ) F

the semidirect product (say, generalized Heisenberg group induced by w) of F and the group A E . The resulting group, as a topological space, is the product A E F . The group operation is dened by the following rule: for a pair u1 = (a1 , x1 , f1 ), dene u1 u2 = (a1 + a2 + f1 (x2 ), x1 + x2 , f1 + f2 ) where, f1 (x2 ) = w(x2 , f1 ).
Date : October 5, 2004. Key words and phrases. Heisenberg group, unitary representation, minimal topological group, relatively minimal subgroup, weakly almost periodic, positive denite, reexive space. The author thanks to Israel Science Foundation (grant number 4699). 2000 Mathematical Subject Classication. 22A05, 43A60, 54H10.
1

u2 = (a2 , x2 , f2 )

MEGRELISHVILI

Then H (w) becomes a two-step nilpotent Hausdor topological group. We will identify E with {0A } E {0F } and F with {0A } {0E } F . Elementary computations for the commutator [u1 , u2 ] give
1 1 [u1 , u2 ] = u1 u2 u 1 u2 = (f1 (x2 ) f2 (x1 ), 0E , 0F ).

In the case of a normed space X and the canonical bilinear function w : X X R we write H (X ) instead of H (w). Clearly, the case of H (Rn ) (induced by the inner product w : Rn Rn R) gives the classical 2n+1-dimensional Heisenberg group. 2. Relatively minimal subgroups First we need some denitions concerning the minimality concept. Denition 2.1. Let X be a subgroup of a Hausdor topological group (G, ). We say that X is relatively minimal in G if every coarser Hausdor group topology of G induces on X the original topology. That is, |X = |X . Equivalently, X is relatively minimal in G i every injective continuous group homomorphism G P into a Hausdor topological group induces on X a topological embedding. In particular, every faithful (that is, injective) weakly continuous unitary representation G Is(H ) for an arbitrary Hilbert space H induces a topological group embedding (say, topologically faithful representation) of a relatively minimal subgroup X . A minimal group in the sense of Stephenson [17] and Do chinov [5] is just the group G such that G is relatively minimal in G. Recall some natural examples of minimal groups: the full unitary group Is(H ) (with the weak operator topology), the symmetric topological group SX , Z with the p-adic topology, the semidirect product Rn R+ , every connected semisimple Lie group with nite center (e.g., SLn (R)). Note that if G is a locally compact abelian group with the canonical mapping w : G G T then the corresponding generalized Heisenberg group H (w) = (T G) G is minimal [7, theorem 2.11]. Hence, every locally compact abelian group is a group retract of a minimal locally compact group. For more information see [3, 4, 6, 7, 8]. The following result seems to be new even for the classical 3-dimensional group H (R). Theorem 2.2. The subgroups X and X are relatively minimal in the generalized Heisenberg group H (X ) = (R X ) X for every normed space X . Proof. Let be the given topology of H (X ) and suppose that is a coarser Hausdor group topology on H (X ). Denote by X X the normed space with respect to the norm ||(x, f )|| := max{||x||, ||f ||}. We prove in fact that the map q : (H (X ), ) X X , (r, x, f ) (x, f ) is continuous. This will imply that the natural retractions (H (X ), ) X and (H (X ), ) X are continuous. It guarantees the continuity of the identity maps (X, |X ) (X, |X ) and (X , |X ) (X , |X ). By the inclusion we get |X = |X and |X = |X . This will mean that X and X are relatively minimal subgroups in H (X ).

GENERALIZED HEISENBERG GROUPS

Assuming the contrary there exists a coarser Hausdor group topology on H (X ) such that q : (H (X ), ) X X is not continuous. Since (H (X ), ) is a Hausdor topological group, one can choose a -neighborhood V of the neutral element 0 := (0, 0X , 0X ) such that 1 := (1, 0X , 0X ) = [u, v ] for every u, v V , where [u, v ] = uvu1 v 1 . Since the homomorphism q is not -continuous (at 0) there exists a positive such that q (U ) is not embedded into the ball B ((0X , 0X ), ) := {(x, f ) X X : max{||x||, ||f ||} < } for every -neighborhood U of 0. Then (similar to [7, Lemma 3.5]) it follows that q (U ) is norm-unbounded in X X . Indeed, for every n N choose a -neighborhood W of 0 such that W W W U.
n

As we already know, q (W ) is not a subset of B ((0X , 0X ), ). Therefore for every n N there exists a triple tn := (rn , xn , fn ) W such that the pair (xn , fn ) = q (tn ) satises ||(xn , fn )|| := max{||xn ||, ||fn ||} in X X . Then by the denition of the group operation in H (X ) we get tn n = (sn , nxn , nfn ) (for some sn R). Thus, ||q (tn ) || = || ( nx , nf ) || n . Therefore, q (U ) is norm-unbounded. Then there n n n exists a sequence S := {un := (an , yn , n )}nN in U such that at least one of the sets A := {yn }nN and B := {n }nN is unbounded. Suppose rst that A is unbounded. The intersection VX := V X is a |X -neighborhood of 0X in X . Clearly, |X |X (= the norm topology of X ). Therefore, VX contains a ball B (0X , 0 ) of X for some 0 > 0. Since A is norm-unbounded and B (0X , 0 ) VX , Hahn-Banach theorem implies that the set < A, VX >= {< yn , f >= f (yn ) : n N, f VX } is unbounded in R. In fact we have < A, VX >= R because <, >: X X R is bilinear and cB (0X , 0 ) B (0X , 0 ) for every c [1, 1]. On the other hand, for every un = (an , yn , n ) S V and f = (0, 0X , f ) VX V , the corresponding commutator [f, un ] is (f (yn ), 0X , 0X ). Hence, [V, V ] = {[a, b] : a, b V } contains the subgroup R {0X } {0X }. But then 1 [V, V ]. This contradicts our assumption. The case of unbounded B = {n }nN is similar. Indeed, observe that we have < V, V >< VX , B >< B (0X , 0 ), B >= R for every B (0X , 0 ) VX := V X . On the other hand, [un , x] = (n (x), 0X , 0X ) for every un S and every x := (0, x, 0X ) VX . As before, this implies that 1 [V, V ]. Note that the subgroups X and X being relatively minimal in H (X ) are not however minimal because every abelian minimal group necessarily is precompact (see for example [3]).

MEGRELISHVILI

3. An application: Shterns Question Let Is(X ) be the group of all linear isometries of a Banach space X . Note that by [10] the strong and weak operator topologies on Is(X ) coincide for every reexive X . For some related recent results about innite-dimensional representations of general topological groups we refer to [13]. As an application of our results we prove the following theorem which answers a question of A. Shtern [16] (for a weaker version see [11, Theorem 3.1] which states that the additive topological group L4 [0, 1] is not embedded into Is(H ) for any Hilbert space H ). Theorem 3.1. There exists a topological group G such that: (a) Weakly continuous unitary representations of G in Hilbert spaces do not separate points of G. (b) G is a topological subgroup of Is(X ) for some reexive Banach space X , where Is(X ) is endowed with the strong (equivalently, weak) operator topology. We claim that the desired group G is the Heisenberg group of the canonical bilinear mapping w : L4 [0, 1] L 4 [0, 1] R
3

That is, G := H (L4 ) = (R L4 ) First we prove assertion (a) of Theorem 3.1. Lemma 3.2. Weakly continuous unitary representations of the generalized Heisenberg group G := H (L4 ) in Hilbert spaces do not separate points. Proof. Assuming the contrary holds true, let F = {hi : G Is(Hi ) : i I } be some point separating set of weakly continuous unitary representations of G. Consider the corresponding l2 -sum H := iI Hi of Hilbert spaces. Passing to the naturally dened l2 -sum of representations we get a weakly continuous representation h : G Is(H ) which is faithful because F separates the points. By the relative minimality of the subgroup L4 in G (Theorem 2.2), we must conclude that the restriction map h|L4 : L4 Is(H ) necessarily is a topological group embedding. Therefore, there exists a topologically faithful unitary representation of L4 into the unitary group Is(H )). This contradicts [11, Theorem 3.1]. We say that a map F : A B R has the Double Limit Property (in short: DLP) if for every pair of sequences {an }nN , {bm }mN in A and B respectively, lim lim F (an , bm ) = lim lim F (an , bm )
m n n m

L4 .
3

holds whenever both of the limits exist. Let us say that a continuous function : G R on a topological group G has the DLP if the induced map F : G G R, F (x, y ) := (xy ) has the DLP. We collect here some auxiliary facts.

GENERALIZED HEISENBERG GROUPS

Lemma 3.3. (1) (Grothendiecks characterization of weakly almost periodicity; see for example, [1]) A bounded continuous function : G R is weakly almost periodic (wap, for short) i has the DLP. (2) ([16] and [11, Fact 2.1]) A topological group G can be embedded into Is(X ) (endowed with the strong (equivalently, weak) operator topology) for some reexive Banach space X i the algebra WAP(G) of all wap functions separates the neutral element from closed subsets of G. (3) Let {an,m }n,mN be a bounded double sequence of real numbers. Then there exists a double subsequence {ain ,jm }n,mN such that the double limits c1 := limm limn ain ,jm and c2 := limn limm ain ,jm both exist. (4) Let X be a reexive Banach space with the canonical bilinear mapping X X R, (x, f ) f (x). Then for every pair of bounded subsets A X, F X the restriction map A F R has the DLP. (5) [11, Lemma 3.4] The norm in the Banach space L2k ([0, 1]) has the DLP for every k N. Proof. (3): There exists a real number r such that an,m [r, r] for every n, m N. Consider the sequence {vn }nN , where vn := (an,1 , an,2 , ). Every vn can be treated as an element of the compact metrizable space [r, r]N . We can choose a subsequence {vin }nN which converges to some v := (t1 , t2 , ) [r, r]N . Then limn ain ,m = tm holds for every m N. Since {tm }mN is bounded we can nd a sequence j1 < j2 < and a real number c1 [r, r] such that limm tjm = c1 . It follows that c1 = limm limn ain ,jm . Now starting with the double sequence {ain ,jm }n,mN we obtain by similar arguments (switching the roles of n and m) its double subsequence such that the second double limit c2 also exists. (4): Let fn and am be two sequences respectively in F and A such that c1 = limm limn fn (am ) and c2 = limn limm fn (am ). By the reexivity, the subsets F and A are relatively weakly compact in X and X respectively. Eberlein-Smulian theorem implies that F and A are relatively sequentially compact with respect to the weak topologies. Hence there exist a subsequence fin of fn and a subsequence ajm of am such that the weak limits limn fin = f and limm ajm = a are dened in X and X . Since the map (X, weak ) (X , weak ) R is separately continuous we obtain c1 = lim lim fn (am ) = lim lim fin (ajm ) = lim f (ajm ) = f (a)
m n n m n n m n

c2 = lim lim fn (am ) = lim lim fin (ajm ) = lim fin (a) = f (a).
m m

Thus, c1 = c2 , as desired. The norm of the Banach space c0 does not satisfy the DLP. Indeed, dene un := en (the standard basis vectors) and vm := m i=1 ei . Then 1 = lim lim ||un + vm || = lim lim ||un + vm || = 2.
m n n m

Note also that by [9] there exists a non-trivial Hausdor topological group G (namely, the group G := H+ [0, 1] of all orientation preserving selfhomeomorphisms of the closed interval [0, 1]) such that every (weakly) continuous representation h :

MEGRELISHVILI

G Is(X ) is constant for every reexive X . Equivalently, every wap function on G is constant. Now we prove assertion (b) of Theorem 3.1. Lemma 3.4. The generalized Heisenberg group G := H (L4 ) is reexively representable. That is, there exists a reexive Banach space X such that G is a topological subgroup of Is(X ) endowed with the strong (equivalently, weak) operator topology. Proof. Dene the following continuous bounded real valued function : G = (R L4 ) L 4 R,
3

(r, x, f ) =

1 1 + |r| + ||x|| + ||f ||

This function separates the neutral element 0 = (0, 0, 0) from closed subsets 0 / A in G. So, by Lemma 3.3.2, it suces to establish that is wap. Assuming the contrary holds true we get by Lemma 3.3.1 that does not satisfy the DLP. Therefore there exist two sequences un = (an , xn , pn ), vm = (bm , ym , qm ) in G such that for the double sequence (un vm ) = the double limits s1 := lim lim (un vm ), s2 := lim lim (un vm )
m n n m

1 . 1 + |an + bm + pn (ym )| + ||xn + ym || + ||pn + qm ||

exist but s1 = s2 . We can assume without restricting of generality (up to the subsequences) that all sequences an , xn , pn , bm , ym , qm are bounded. Indeed, if one of the sequences above is unbounded, passing to appropriate subsequences, we get that the corresponding double limits both are 0. Actually we can and do assume that the sequences an and bm converge in R. Moreover, by Lemma 3.3.3 we can suppose in addition that each of the following three (bounded) real valued double sequences ||pn + qm ||, ||xn + ym ||, pn (ym ) have double limits. Now it suces to show that in each one of the cases (a), (b), and (c) below the corresponding double limits are the same. This will imply that s1 = s2 , providing the desired contradiction. (a) First we check that limm limn ||pn + qm || = limn limm ||pn + qm ||. We have to show that the function L 4 R, f ||f || has the DLP. It suces to establish 3 p that the function f e||f || has the DLP on L 4 . But this function is positive 3 denite on Lp for every 1 p 2 by a classical result of Shoenberg [15]. On the other hand every continuous positive denite function on a topological group is wap (see [2, Corollary 3.3]). (b) Observe also that the map L4 R, x ||x|| has the DLP by Lemma 3.3.5. Therefore, limm limn ||xn + ym || = limn limm ||xn + ym || holds.

GENERALIZED HEISENBERG GROUPS

(c) Finally we show that limm limn pn (ym ) = limn limm pn (ym ). Note that, as before, by our assumptions, the sequences pn and ym are bounded in L 4 and 3 L4 respectively and the limits c1 := limm limn pn (ym ), c2 := limn limm pn (ym ) both exist. Now the equality c1 = c2 directly follows by Lemma 3.3.4. The proof of Theorem 3.1 follows now from Lemmas 3.2 and 3.4. Finally we thank D. Dikranjan, N. Krupnik and A. Shtern for useful suggestions. References
1. J.F. Berglund, H.D. Junghenn, P. Milnes, Analysis on semigroups, Canad. Math. Soc., WileyInterscience Publication, 1989. 2. R.B. Burckel, Weakly almost periodic functions on semigroups, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York-London-Paris, 1970. 3. D. Dikranjan, Iv. Prodanov, L. Stoyanov, Topological groups: characters, dualities and minimal group topologies, Pure and Appl. Math. 130, Marcel Dekker, New York-Basel, 1989. 4. D. Dikranjan, Recent progress in minimal topological groups, Topology Applications, 85 (1998), 53-91. 5. D. Do tchinov, Produits de groupes topologiques minimaux, Bull. Sci. Math. (2) 97 (1972) 59-64. 6. D. Gamarnik, Minimality of the group Aut(C ), Serdika 17:4, (1991), 197-201. 7. M. Megrelishvili, Group representations and construction of minimal topological groups, Topology Applications, 62 (1995), 1-19. 8. M. Megrelishvili, G-Minimal Topological Groups, In: Abelian Groups, Module Theory and Topology, Lecture Notes in Pure and Applied Algebra, Marcel Dekker, 201 (1998), 289-300. 9. M. Megrelishvili, Every semitopological semigroup compactication of the group H+ [0, 1] is trivial , Semigroup forum 63, (2001), 357-370. 10. M. Megrelishvili, Operator topologies and reexive representability, in: Nuclear groups and Lie groups, Research & Exposition in Mathematics, Heldermann, Verlag-Berlin, 24 (2001), 189-201. 11. M. Megrelishvili, Reexively but not unitarily representable topological groups, Topology Proceedings, 25, 2002, 615-625. 12. P. Milnes, Enveloping semigroups, distal ows and groups of Heisenberg type, Houston Journal of Mathematics, 15:4 (1989), 563-572. 13. V.G. Pestov, Topological groups: where to from here ?, Topology Proceedings, 24 (1999), 421502. http://arXiv.org/abs/math.GN/9910144. den Satz von Wiener and lokalkompakte Gruppen, Comm. Math. Helv., 49 14. H. Reiter, Uber (1974), 333-364. 15. I.J. Shoenberg, Metric spaces and positive denite functions, Trans. AMS, 44 (1938), 522-536. 16. A. Shtern, Compact semitopological semigroups and reexive representability of topological groups, Russ. J. Math. Physics 2 (1994), 131-132. 17. R. Stephenson, Minimal topological groups, Math. Ann., 192 (1971), 193-195. Department of Mathematics, Bar-Ilan University, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel E-mail address : megereli@math.biu.ac.il URL: http://www.math.biu.ac.il/ megereli