Harmonic self-maps of cohomogeneity one manifolds

We develop the theory of equivariant harmonic self-maps of compact cohomogeneity one manifolds and construct new harmonic self-maps of the compact Lie groups SO(4L+2), L >= 1, with degree -3, of SO(8), SO(14) and SO(26) with degree -5 each, of SO(10) with degree -7, and of SO(14) with degree -11 by exhibiting linear solutions to non-linear singular boundary value problems.