Positivity of principal matrix coefficients of principal series representations of $GL_{n}(R)$

Abstract

Let $G=GL_{n}(R)$, with the usual Cartan decomposition $G=Kexp(p_0)$ and the usual Iwasawa decomposition $G=NAK$. We determine the image of $exp(p_0)$ under the projection of $G$ to $K$ through the Iwasawa decomposition. As an application, we prove a positivity result about the matrix coefficients of principal series representations of $G$.