We show that the finiteness length of an $S$-arithmetic subgroup $Γ$ in a noncommutative isotropic absolutely almost simple group $G$ over a global function field is one less than the sum of the local ranks of $G$ taken over the places in $S$. This determines the finiteness properties for arithmetic subgroups in isotropic reductive groups, confirming the conjectured finiteness properties for this class of groups. Our main tool is Behr-Harder reduction theory which we recast in terms of the metric structure of euclidean buildings.
We give an overview about finiteness properties of soluble S-arithmetic groups. Both, the number field case and the function field case are covered. The main result is: If B is a Borel subgroup in a Chevalley group and R is an S-arithmetic ring, then the group B(R) has finiteness length |S|-1 in the function field case, and infinite finiteness length in the number field case.
Let $k$ be a perfect field such that for every $n$ there are only finitely many field extensions, up to isomorphism, of $k$ of degree $n$. If $G$ is a reductive algebraic group defined over $k$, whose characteristic is very good for $G$, then we prove that $G(k)$ has only finitely many $z$-classes. For each perfect field $k$ which does not have the above finiteness property we show that there exist groups $G$ over $k$ such that $G(k)$ has infinitely many $z$-classes.
We determine when an arithmetic subgroup of a reductive group defined over a global function field is of type FP_\infty by comparing its large-scale geometry to the large-scale geometry of lattices in real semisimple Lie groups.
Let G be a Chevalley group scheme and B<=G a Borel subgroup scheme, both defined over Z. Let K be a global function field, S be a finite non-empty set of places over K, and O_S be the corresponding S-arithmetic ring. Then, the S-arithmetic group B(O_S) is of type F_{|S|-1} but not of type FP_{|S|}. Moreover one can derive lower and upper bounds for the geometric invariants Σ^m(B(O_S)). These are sharp if G has rank 1. For higher ranks, the estimates imply that normal subgroups of B(O_S) with abelian quotients, generically, satisfy strong finiteness conditions.
This paper is a follow-up to our joint paper with I. Agol, P. Storm and K. Whyte "Finiteness of arithmetic hyperbolic reflection groups". The main purpose is to investigate the effective side of the method developed there and its possible application to the problem of classification of arithmetic hyperbolic reflection groups.
We give a new proof of the finiteness of maximal arithmetic reflection groups. Our proof is novel in that it makes no use of trace formulas or other tools from the theory of automorphic forms and instead relies on the arithmetic Margulis lemma of Fraczyk, Hurtado and Raimbault.
We introduce geometric and homological finiteness properties for countable approximate groups via coarse geometry and then study these finiteness properties for S-arithmetic reductive approximate groups. For S-arithmetic approximate groups without infinite places we show that the finiteness length is finite and compute this finiteness length explicitly. In the simple case it is one less than the sum of the local ranks. This extends the Rank Theorem of Bux, Köhl and the second author from positive characteristic to characteristic zero. Our proof is based on a geometric version of their proof, b…
The normal Farb growth of a group quantifies how well-approximated the group is by its finite quotients. We show that any S-arithmetic subgroup of a higher rank Chevalley group G has normal Farb growth n^dim(G).
We correct a mistake in the paper "On the cuspidal cohomology of $S$-arithmetic subgroups of reductive groups over number fields " by A. Borel, J.-P. Labesse, J. Schwermer that appeared in Compositio Mathematica, 102 (1996), 1-40.
We examine groups whose resonance varieties, characteristic varieties and Sigma-invariants have a natural arithmetic group symmetry, and we explore implications on various finiteness properties of subgroups. We compute resonance varieties, characteristic varieties and Alexander polynomials of Torelli groups, and we show that all subgroups containing the Johnson kernel have finite first Betti number, when the genus is at least four. We also prove that, in this range, the $I$-adic completion of the Alexander invariant is finite-dimensional, and the Kahler property for the Torelli group implies t…
Harder's reduction theory provides filtrations of euclidean buildings that allow one to deduce cohomological and homological properties of S-arithmetic groups over global function fields. In this survey I will sketch the main points of Harder's reduction theory starting from Weil's geometry of numbers and the Riemann-Roch theorem, describe a filtration that is particularly useful for deriving finiteness properties of S-arithmetic groups, and state the rank conjecture and its partial verifications that do not restrict the cardinality of the underlying field of constants. As a motivation for fur…
Let $Γ$ be an arithmetic subgroup of $SU(d,1)$ with cusps, and let $X_Γ$ be the associated locally symmetric space. We prove that if the first inner cohomology group $H^1_!(X_Γ,\mathbb{C})$ is non-zero then the pre-image of $Γ$ in each connected cover of $SU(d,1)$ is residually finite. We also give an example of a such a group $Γ$ for which $H^1_!(X_Γ,\mathbb{C})$ is non-zero.
Complex hyperbolic triangle groups were first considered by Mostow in building the first nonarithmetic lattices in PU(2, 1). They are a natural generalization of the classical triangle groups acting on the hyperbolic plane. A well-known theorem of Takeuchi is that there are only finitely many Fuchsian triangle groups that are also an arithmetic lattice in PSL_2(R). We consider similar finiteness theorem for complex hyperbolic triangle groups. In particular, we show that there are finitely many complex hyperbolic triangle groups with rational angular invariant which determine an arithmetic latt…
We give an effective upper bound, for certain arithmetic hyperbolic 3-manifold groups obtained from a quadratic form construction, on the minimal index of a subgroup that embeds in a fixed 6-dimensional right-angled reflection group, stabilizing a totally geodesic subspace. In particular, for manifold groups in any fixed commensurability class we show that the index of such a subgroup is asymptotically smaller than any fractional power of the volume of the manifold. We also give effective bounds on the geodesic residual finiteness growths of closed hyperbolic manifolds that totally geodesicall…
Let G(O_S) be an S-arithmetic subgroup of a connected, absolutely almost simple linear algebraic group G over a global function field K. We show that the sum of local ranks of G determines the homological finiteness properties of G(O_S) provided the K-rank of G is 1. This shows that the general upper bound for the finiteness length of G(O_S) established in an earlier paper is sharp in this case. The geometric analysis underlying our result determines the conectivity properties of horospheres in thick Euclidean buildings.
In this paper, we prove some finiteness results about split Kac-Moody groups over local non-archimedean fields. Our results generalize those of "An affine Gindikin-Karpelevich formula" by Alexander Braverman, Howard Garland, David Kazhdan and Manish Patnaik. We do not require our groups to be affine. We use the hovel I associated to this situation, which is the analogue of the Bruhat-Tits building for a reductive group.
We provide partial results towards a conjectural generalization of a theorem of Lubotzky-Mozes-Raghunathan for arithmetic groups (over number fields or function fields) that implies, in low dimensions, both polynomial isoperimetric inequalities and finiteness properties. As a tool in our proof, we establish polynomial isoperimetric inequalities and finiteness properties for certain solvable groups that appear as subgroups of parabolic groups in semisimple groups, thus generalizing a theorem of Bux. We also develop a precise version of reduction theory for arithmetic groups whose proof is, for …
We show that the homological finiteness length of a non-uniform lattice on a locally finite CAT(0) n-dimensional polyhedral complex is less than n. As a corollary, we obtain an upper bound for the homological finiteness length of arithmetic groups over function fields. This gives an easier proof of a result of Bux and Wortman that solved a long-standing conjecture.
We introduce the concept of quantifying the extent to which a finitely generated group is residually finite. The quantification is carried out for some examples including free groups, the first Grigorchuk group, finitely generated nilpotent groups, and certain arithmetic groups such as $SL_n(\mathbb{Z})$. In the context of finite nilpotent quotients, we find a new characterization of nilpotent groups.
This is a survey article on some recent developments in the arithmetic theory of linear algebraic groups over higher-dimensional fields, written for the Notices of the AMS.
We give a criterion for bounding the homological finiteness length of certain HF-groups. This is used in two distinct contexts. Firstly, the homological finiteness length of a non-uniform lattice on a locally finite n-dimensional contractible CW-complex is less than n. In dimension two it solves a conjecture of Farb, Hruska and Thomas. As another corollary, we obtain an upper bound for the homological finiteness length of arithmetic groups over function fields. This gives an easier proof of a result of Bux and Wortman that solved a long-standing conjecture. Secondly, the criterion is applied t…
Let $G$ be a classical algebraic group, $X$ a maximal rank reductive subgroup and $P$ a parabolic subgroup. This paper classifies when $X\G/P$ is finite. Finiteness is proven using geometric arguments about the action of $X$ on subspaces of the natural module for $G$. Infiniteness is proven using a dimension criterion which involves root systems.
Let $G$ be an almost simple, simply connected algebraic group defined over a number field $k$, and let $S$ be a finite set of places of $k$ including all infinite places. Let $X$ be the product over $v\in S$ of the symmetric spaces associated to $G(k_v)$, when $v$ is an infinite place, and the Bruhat-Tits buildings associated to $G(k_v)$, when $v$ is a finite place. The main result of this paper is an explicit computation of the fundamental group of the reductive Borel-Serre compactification of $Γ\backslash X$, where $Γ$ is an $S$-arithmetic subgroup of $G$. In the case that $Γ$ is neat, we sh…
Let F be a global field, and let S be a finite set of places of F containing all archimedean places. Consider the product X of the symmetric spaces and Bruhat-Tits buildings for PGL_d of the completions of F at archimedean and non-archimedean places in S, respectively. We construct compactifications of the quotient of X by S-arithmetic subgroups of PGL_d(F). The constructions make delicate use of reductive Borel-Serre spaces for archimedean places and polyhedral and seminorm compactifications at nonarchimedean places. We also briefly discuss a few potential applications of our compacifications…
We study lattices in non-positively curved metric spaces. Borel density is established in that setting as well as a form of Mostow rigidity. A converse to the flat torus theorem is provided. Geometric arithmeticity results are obtained after a detour through superrigidity and arithmeticity of abstract lattices. Residual finiteness of lattices is also studied. Riemannian symmetric spaces are characterised amongst CAT(0) spaces admitting lattices in terms of the existence of parabolic isometries.
Given a universal elementary Chevalley-Demazure group $E_Φ^{sc}(R)$ for which its (standard) parabolic subgroups are finitely generated, we consider the problem of classifying which parabolics $P(R) \subset E_Φ^{sc}(R)$ are finitely presented. We show that, under mild assumptions, this is equivalent to the finite presentability of a suitable retract of $P$ which contains the Levi factor. If the base ring $R$ is a Dedekind domain of arithmetic type, we combine our results with well-known theorems due to Borel-Serre, Abels, Behr and Bux to give a partial classification of finitely presentable $S…
This article is a survey of conjectures and results on reductive algebraic groups having good reduction at a suitable set of discrete valuations of the base field. Until recently, this subject has received relatively little attention, but now it appears to be developing into one of the central topics in the emerging arithmetic theory of (linear) algebraic groups over higher-dimensional fields. The focus of this article is on the Main Conjecture asserting the finiteness of the number of isomorphism classes of forms of a given reductive group over a finitely generated field that have good reduct…
