Finite multiplicities beyond spherical spaces

Abstract

Let $G$ be a real reductive algebraic group, and let $H\subset G$ be an algebraic subgroup. It is known that the action of $G$ on the space of functions on $G/H$ is "tame" if this space is spherical. In particular, the multiplicities of the space $\mathcal{S}(G/H)$ of Schwartz functions on $G/H$ are finite in this case. In this paper we formulate and analyze a generalization of sphericity that implies finite multiplicities in $\mathcal{S}(G/H)$ for small enough irreducible representations of $G$.

31p. Appendix B by Ido Karshon. v4: extended version - added results on the homogeneous case and branching problems - see sections 1.1 and 1.2