Classification of finite-multiplicity symmetric pairs

Abstract

We give a complete classification of the reductive symmetric pairs (G,H) for which the homogeneous space $(G \times H)/diag(H)$ is real spherical in the sense that a minimal parabolic subgroup has an open orbit. Combining with a criterion established in [T. Kobayashi--T. Oshima, Adv. Math. 2013], we give a necessary and sufficient condition for a reductive symmetric pair $(G,H)$ such that the multiplicities for the branching law of the restriction any admissible smooth representation of $G$ to $H$ have finiteness/boundedness property.