Countable approximation of topological $G$-manifolds, III: arbitrary Lie groups $G$

Abstract

The Hilbert-Smith conjecture states, for any connected topological manifold $M$, any locally compact subgroup of $\mathrm{Homeo}(M)$ is a Lie group. We generalize basic results of Segal-Kosniowski-tomDieck (2.6), James-Segal (2.12), G Bredon (3.7), Jaworowski-Antonyan et al. (5.5), and E Elfving (7.3). The last is our main result: for any Lie group $G$, any Palais-proper topological $G$-manifold has the equivariant homotopy type of a countable proper $G$-CW complex. Along the way, we verify an $n$-classifying space for principal $G$-bundles (5.10).

19 pages; VERSION 6: accepted by New York Journal of Mathematics