Weierstrass-type representation for harmonic maps into general symmetric spaces via loop groups

Abstract

In \cite{dpw} a method was presented, which constructs via loop group splittings all harmonic maps into a compact symmetric space. The present paper generalizes this method to all spaces G/K, where G is an arbitrary Lie group (semisimple or not) and K is the fixpoint group of some involution of G. The method is illustrated by a number of examples.