In this paper, we address the problem of computing the topological entropy of a map $\psi : G \to G$, where G is a Lie group, given by some power $\psi (g) = g^k$, with k a positive integer. When G is abelian, $\psi $ is an endomorphism and its topological entropy is given by $h(\psi ) = \dim (T(G)) \log (k)$, where $T(G)$ is the maximal torus of G, as shown by Patrão [The topological entropy of endomorphisms of Lie groups. Israel J. Math. 234 (2019), 55–80]. However, when G is not abelian, $\psi $ is no longer an endomorphism and these previous results cannot be used. Still, $\psi $ has some interesting symmetries, for example, it commutes with the conjugations of G. In this paper, the structure theory of Lie groups is used to show that $h(\psi ) = \dim (T)\log (k)$, where T is a maximal torus of G, generalizing the formula in the abelian case. In particular, the topological entropy of powers on compact Lie groups with discrete center is always positive, in contrast to what happens to endomorphisms of such groups, which always have null entropy.

We describe the connected components of the space $\text {Hom}(\Gamma ,SU(2))$ of homomorphisms for a discrete nilpotent group $\Gamma$. The connected components arising from homomorphisms with non-abelian image turn out to be homeomorphic to $\mathbb {RP}^{3}$. We give explicit calculations when $\Gamma$ is a finitely generated free nilpotent group. In the second part of the paper, we study the filtration $B_{\text {com}} SU(2)=B(2,SU(2))\subset \cdots \subset B(q,SU(2))\subset \cdots$ of the classifying space $BSU(2)$ (introduced by Adem, Cohen and Torres-Giese), showing that for every $q\geq 2$, the inclusions induce a homology isomorphism with coefficients over a ring in which 2 is invertible. Most of the computations are done for $SO(3)$ and $U(2)$ as well.

For each of the groups G = O(2), SU(2), U(2), we compute the integral and $\mathbb{F}_2$-cohomology rings of BcomG (the classifying space for commutativity of G), the action of the Steenrod algebra on the mod 2 cohomology, the homotopy type of EcomG (the homotopy fiber of the inclusion BcomG → BG), and some low-dimensional homotopy groups of BcomG.

In this article, we study the correspondence between the geometry of del Pezzo surfaces ${{s}_{r}}$ and the geometry of the $r$-dimensional Gosset polytopes (${{(r-4)}_{21}}$. We construct Gosset polytopes ${{(r-4)}_{21}}$ in Pic ${{S}_{r}}\,\otimes \,\mathbb{Q}$ whose vertices are lines, and we identify divisor classes in Pic ${{s}_{r}}$ corresponding to $(a-1)$-simplexes $(a\le r)$, $(r-1)$-simplexes and $(r-1)$-crosspolytopes of the polytope ${{(r-4)}_{21}}$. Then we explain how these classes correspond to skew $a$-lines$(a\le r)$, exceptional systems, and rulings, respectively.

As an application, we work on the monoidal transform for lines to study the local geometry of the polytope ${{(r-4)}_{21}}$. And we show that the Gieser transformation and the Bertini transformation induce a symmetry of polytopes ${{3}_{21}}$ and ${{4}_{21}}$, respectively.

Westwick's convexity theorem on the numerical range is generalized in the context of compact connected Lie groups.

We investigate left conjugacy closed loops which can be given by invariant sections in the group generated by their left translations. These loops are generalizations of the conjugacy closed loops introduced in [13] just as Bol loops generalize Moufang loops. The relations of these loops to common classes of loops are studied. For instance on a connected manifold we construct proper topological left conjugacy closed loops satisfying the left Bol condition but show that any differentiable such loop must be a group. We show that the configurational condition in the 3-net corresponding to an isotopy class of left conjugacy closed loops has the same importance in the geometry of 3-nets as the Reidemeister or the Bol condition.