Symplectic aspects of polar actions

Abstract: An isometric compact group action $G \times (M,g) \rightarrow (M,g)$ is called polar if there exists a closed embedded submanifold $\Sigma \subseteq M$ which meets all orbits orthogonally. Let $\Pi$ be the associated generalized Weyl group. We study the properties of the lifting action $G$ on the cotangent bundle $T^*M$. In particular, we show that the restriction map $(C^{\infty}(T^*M))^G \rightarrow (C^{\infty}(T^* \Sigma))^{\Pi}$ is a surjective homomorphism of Poisson algebras. As a corollary, the singular symplectic reductions $T^*M // G $ and $T^* \Sigma // \Pi$ are isomorphic as stratified symplectic spaces, which gives a partial answer to a conjecture of Lerman, Montgomery and Sjamaar.