In this article we introduce and study the concept of characteristic degree of a subgroup in a finite group. We define the characteristic degree of a subgroup H in a finite group G as the ratio of the number of all pairs (h,α) ∈ H×Aut(G) such that h^α∈H, by the order of H × Aut(G), where Aut(G) is the automorphisms group of G. This quantity measures the probability that H can be characteristic ...

An indecomposable Riemannian symmetric space which admits nontrivial twistor spinors has constant sectional curvature. Furthermore, each homogeneous Riemannian manifold with parallel spinors is at. In the present paper we solve the twistor equation on all indecomposable Lorentzian symmetric spaces explicitly. In particular, we show that there are-in contrast to the Riemannian case-indecom-posab...

In previous work, the second author and others have found conditions on a homogeneous space G/H which imply that, up to stabilization, all vector bundles over admit Riemannian metrics of non-negative sectional curvature. One important ingredient their approach is Segal’s result that set form $$G\times _H V$$ for representation V H contains inverses within class. We show this cannot work biquoti...

Examples of almost-positively and quasi-positively curved spaces of the form M = H\((G, h) × F ) were discovered recently [9],[8]. Here h is a left-invariant metric on a compact Lie group G, F is a compact Riemannian manifold on which the subgroup H ⊂ G acts isometrically on the left, and M is the orbit space of the diagonal left action of H on (G, h)×F with the induced Riemannian submersion me...

The equations of motion for matter in non-Riemannian spacetimes are derived via a multipole method. It is found that only test bodies with microstructure couple to the non-Riemannian spacetime geometry. Consequently it is impossible to detect spacetime torsion with the satellite experiment Gravity Probe B, contrary to some recent claims in the literature.

Minimal surfaces in the sub-Riemannian Heisenberg group can be constructed by means of a Riemannian approximation scheme, as limit of Riemannian minimal surfaces. We study the regularity of Lipschitz, non-characteristic minimal surfaces which arise as such limits. Our main results are a-priori estimates on the solutions of the approximating Riemannian PDE and the ensuing C∞ regularity of the su...