Originally published: New York: Interscience Publishers, Inc., 1955. An unabridged republication of: Huntington, New York: Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1974.

Historically, applications of algebraic topology to the study of topological transformation groups were originated in the work of L. E. 1. Brouwer on periodic transformations and, a little later, in the beautiful fixed point theorem ofP. A. Smith for prime periodic maps on homology spheres. Upon comparing the fixed point theorem of Smith with its predecessors, the fixed point theorems of Brouwer and Lefschetz, one finds that it is possible, at least for the case of homology spheres, to upgrade the conclusion of mere existence (or non-existence) to the actual determination of the homology type of the fixed point set, if the map is assumed to be prime periodic. The pioneer result of P. A. Smith clearly suggests a fruitful general direction of studying topological transformation groups in the framework of algebraic topology. Naturally, the immediate problems following the Smith fixed point theorem are to generalize it both in the direction of replacing the homology spheres by spaces of more general topological types and in the direction of replacing the group tl by more general compact groups.

An advanced monograph on the subject of topological transformation groups, this volume summarizes important research conducted during a period of lively activity in this area of mathematics. The book is of particular note because it represents the culmination of research by authors Deane Montgomery and Leo Zippin, undertaken in collaboration with Andrew Gleason of Harvard University, that led to their solution of a well-known mathematical conjecture, Hilbert's Fifth Problem. The treatment begins with an examination of topological spaces and groups and proceeds to locally compact groups and groups with no small subgroups. Subsequent chapters address approximation by Lie groups and transformation groups, concluding with an exploration of compact transformation groups.

Introduction to Compact Transformation Groups

“This book is a jewel – it explains important, useful and deep topics in Algebraic Topology that you won’t find elsewhere, carefully and in detail.” Prof. Günter M. Ziegler, TU Berlin

This is an account of the theory of certain types of compact transformation groups, namely those that are susceptible to study using ordinary cohomology theory and rational homotopy theory, which in practice means the torus groups and elementary abelian p-groups. The efforts of many mathematicians have combined to bring a depth of understanding to this area. However to make it reasonably accessible to a wide audience, the authors have streamlined the presentation, referring the reader to the literature for purely technical results and working in a simplified setting where possible. In this way the reader with a relatively modest background in algebraic topology and homology theory can penetrate rather deeply into the subject, whilst the book at the same time makes a useful reference for the more specialised reader.