We introduce and investigate the rigidity property of rank gradient in the case of the group $\mathcal G$ of intermediate growth constructed by the first author. We show that $\mathcal G$ is normally $(f,g)$-RG rigid where $f(n)=\log(n)$ and $g(n) =\log(\log(n)).$
Let $Γ$ be a weakly irreducible higher rank lattice. In this paper, we will prove various rigidity results for the $Γ$-action following a philosophy of the Zimmer program. We provide new rigidity results including local and global rigidity of the $Γ$-action when $Γ$ does not have Property (T). The new ingredient is a dynamical cocycle super-rigidity theorem. It can be thought of as the generalization of Zimmer's cocycle super-rigidity theorem since it provides almost the same consequences dynamically and algebraically. This allows us to derive various our rigidity results using dynamical super…
In this paper, we show local smooth rigidity for higher rank ergodic nilpotent action by toral automorphisms and prove the existence of such action on any torus TN for any even N ? 6. We also give examples of smooth rigidity of actions having rank-one factors. The method is a generalization of the KAM (Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser) iterative scheme.
We investigate rigidity of measurable structure for higher rank abelian algebraic actions. In particular, we show that ergodic measures for these actions fiber over a 0 entropy measure with Haar measures along the leaves. We deduce various rigidity theorems for isomorphisms and joinings as corollaries.
We show that all $C^\infty$ Anosov $Z^r$-actions on tori and nilmanifolds without rank-one factor actions are, up to $C^\infty$ conjugacy, actions by automorphisms.
We extend the recent progress on the cocycle rigidity of partially hyperbolic homogeneous abelian actions to the setting with rank 1 factors in the universal cover. The method of proof relies on the periodic cycle functional and analysis of the cycle structure, but uses a new argument to give vanishing.
We show that ergodic affine abelian discrete actions on the torus, that have a rank-one factor in their linear part, are locally rigid in a KAM sense if and only if the rank one factor is trivial and the action is higher-rank transversally to this factor. Since it has been proved by Damjanovic and Katok that affine actions with higher-rank linear part are locally rigid, our result completes the local rigidity picture for affine actions on the torus.
We study the rigidity properties of a class of algebraic Z^3-actions with entropy rank two. For this class, conditions are found which force an invariant measure to be the Haar measure on an affine subset. This is applied to show isomorphism rigidity for such actions, and to provide examples of non-isomorphic Z^3-actions with all their Z^2-sub-actions isomorphic. The proofs use lexicographic half-space entropies and total ergodicity along critical directions.
We study smooth factors of the standard actions of lattices in higher rank semisimple Lie groups on flag manifolds. Under a mild condition on existence of a single differentiable sink, we show that these factors are $C^{\infty}$-conjugate to the standard actions on flag manifolds.
We generalize the higher rank rigidity theorem to a class of Finsler spaces, i.e. Berwald spaces. More precisely, we prove that a complete connected Berwald space of finite volume and bounded nonpositive flag curvature with rank at least $2$ whose universal cover is irreducible, is a locally symmetric space or a locally Minkowski space.
We prove absolute continuity of "high entropy" hyperbolic invariant measures for smooth actions of higher rank abelian groups assuming that there are no proportional Lyapunov exponents. For actions on tori and infranilmanifolds existence of an absolutely continuous invariant measure of this kind is obtained for actions whose elements are homotopic to those of an action by hyperbolic automorphisms with no multiple or proportional Lyapunov exponents. In the latter case a form of rigidity is proved for certain natural classes of cocycles over the action.
We show local and cocycle rigidity for $\R^k \times \Z^l$ partially hyperbolic translation actions on homogeneous spaces $\mc G/ Λ$. We consider a large class of actions whose geometric properties are more complicated than previously treated cases. It is also the first time that partially hyperbolic twisted symmetric space examples have been treated in the literature. The main new ingredient in the proof is a combination of geometric method and the theory of central extensions.
Let $G$ be the group of orientation-preserving isometries of a rank-one symmetric space $X$ of non-compact type. We study local rigidity of certain actions of a solvable subgroup $Γ\subset G$ on the boundary of $X$, which is diffeomorphic to a sphere. When $X$ is a quaternionic hyperbolic space or the Cayley hyperplane, the action we constructed is locally rigid.
We study the rigidity in the sense of Zimmer for higher rank lattice actions on dendrites and show that: (1) if $Γ$ is a higher rank lattice and $X$ is a nondegenerate dendrite with no infinite order points, then any action of $Γ$ on $X$ cannot be almost free; (2) if $Γ$ is further a finite index subgroup of $SL_n(\mathbb Z)$ with $n\geq 3$, then every action of $Γ$ on $X$ has a nontrivial almost finite subsystem. During the proof, we get a new characterization of the left-orderability of a finitely generated group through its actions on dendrites.
We classify locally finite joinings with respect to the Burger-Roblin measure for the action of a horospherical subgroup $U$ on $Γ\backslash G$, where $G = \operatorname{SO}(n,1)^\circ$ and $Γ$ is a convex cocompact and Zariski dense subgroup of $G$, or geometrically finite with restrictions on critical exponent and rank of cusps. We also prove in the more general case of $Γ$ geometrically finite and Zariski dense that certain $U$-equivariant set-valued maps are rigid.
We prove that any smooth volume-preserving action of a lattice $Γ$ in $\textrm{SL}(n,\mathbb{R})$, $n\ge 3$, on a closed $n$-manifold which possesses one element that admits a dominated splitting should be standard. In other words, the manifold is the $n$-flat torus and the action is smoothly conjugate to an affine action. Note that an Anosov diffeomorphism, or more generally, a partial hyperbolic diffeomorphism admits a dominated splitting. We have a topological global rigidity when $α$ is $C^{1}$. Similar theorems hold for an action of a lattice in $\textrm{Sp}(2n,\mathbb{R})$ with $n\ge 2$ …
A simple proof of the fact that each rank-one infinite measure preserving (i.m.p.) transformation is subsequence weakly rationally ergodic is found. Some classes of funny rank-one i.m.p. actions of Abelian groups are shown to be subsequence weakly rationally ergodic. A constructive definition of finite funny rank for actions of arbitrary infinite countable groups is given. It is shown that the ergodic i.m.p. transformations of balanced finite funny rank are subsequence weakly rationally ergodic. It is shown that the ergodic probability preserving transformations of exact finite rank, the ergod…
This paper presents a rank rigidity result for negatively curved spaces. Let $M$ be a compact manifold with negative sectional curvature and suppose that along every geodesic in $M$ there is a parallel vector field making curvature $-a^2$ with the geodesic direction. We prove that $M$ has constant curvature equal to $-a^2$ if $M$ is odd dimensional, or if $M$ is even dimensional and has sectional curvature pinched as follows: $-Λ^2 < K < -λ^2$ where $λ/Λ> .93$. When $a$ is extremal, i.e. $-a^2$ is the curvature minimum or maximum for the manifold, this result is analogous to rank rigidity resu…
We consider irreducible actions of locally compact product groups, and of higher rank semi-simple Lie groups. Using the intermediate factor theorems of Bader-Shalom and Nevo-Zimmer, we show that the action stabilizers, and all irreducible invariant random subgroups, are co-amenable in their normal closure. As a consequence, we derive rigidity results on irreducible actions that generalize and strengthen the results of Bader-Shalom and Stuck-Zimmer.
In this article we prove global rigidity results for hyperbolic actions of higher-rank lattices. Suppose $Γ$ is a lattice in semisimple Lie group, all of whose factors have rank $2$ or higher. Let $α$ be a smooth $Γ$-action on a compact nilmanifold $M$ that lifts to an action on the universal cover. If the linear data $ρ$ of $α$ contains a hyperbolic element, then there is a continuous semiconjugacy intertwining the actions of $α$ and $ρ$, on a finite-index subgroup of $Γ$. If $α$ is a $C^\infty$ action and contains an Anosov element, then the semiconjugacy is a $C^\infty$ conjugacy. As a coro…
This paper presents hyperbolic rank rigidity results for rank 1, nonpositively curved spaces. Let $M$ be a compact, rank 1 manifold with nonpositive sectional curvature and suppose that along every geodesic in $M$ there is a parallel vector field making curvature $-a^2$ with the geodesic direction. We prove that $M$ has constant curvature equal to $-a^2$ if $M$ is odd dimensional, or if $M$ is even dimensional and has sectional curvature pinched as follows: $-Λ^2 < K < -λ^2$ where $λ/Λ> >.93$. When $-a^2$ is the upper curvature bound this gives a shorter proof of the hyperbolic rank rigidity t…
Let $J$ be a semisimple Lie group with all simple factors of real rank at least two. Let $Γ<J$ be a lattice. We prove a very general local rigidity result about actions of $J$ or $Γ$. This shows that almost all so-called "standard actions" are locally rigid. As a special case, we see that any action of $Γ$ by toral automorphisms is locally rigid. More generally, given a manifold $M$ on which $Γ$ acts isometrically and a torus $\Ta^n$ on which it acts by automorphisms, we show that the diagonal action on $\Ta^n{\times}M$ is locally rigid. This paper is the culmination of a series of papers and …
This text is an expanded series of lecture notes based on a 5-hour course given at the workshop entitled "Workshop for young researchers: Groups acting on manifolds" held in Teresópolis, Brazil in June 2016. The course introduced a number of classical tools in smooth ergodic theory -- particularly Lyapunov exponents and metric entropy -- as tools to study rigidity properties of group actions on manifolds. We do not present comprehensive treatment of group actions or general rigidity programs. Rather, we focus on two rigidity results in higher-rank dynamics: the measure rigidity theorem for aff…
We prove an operator algebraic superrigidity statement for homomorphisms of irreducible lattices, and also their commensurators, in certain higher-rank groups into unitary groups of finite factors. This extends the authors' previous work regarding non-free measure-preserving actions, and also answers a question of Connes for such groups.
We study the generalizations of Jonathan King's rank-one theorems (Weak-Closure Theorem and rigidity of factors) to the case of rank-one R-actions (flows) and rank-one Z^n-actions. We prove that these results remain valid in the case of rank-one flows. In the case of rank-one Z^n actions, where counterexamples have already been given, we prove partial Weak-Closure Theorem and partial rigidity of factors.
We consider partially hyperbolic abelian algebraic high-rank actions on compact homogeneous spaces obtained from simple indefinite orthogonal and unitary groups. In the first part of the paper, we show local differentiable rigidity for such actions. The conclusions are based on progress towards computations of the Schur multipliers of these non-split groups, which is the main aim of the second part.
Suppose $G$ is a higher-rank connected semisimple Lie group with finite center and without compact factors. Let $\mathbb{G}=G$ or $\mathbb{G}=G\ltimes V$, where $V$ is a finite dimensional vector space $V$. For any unitary representation $(π,\mathcal{H})$ of $\GG$, we study the twisted cohomological equation $π(a)f-λf=g$ for partially hyperbolic element $a\in \mathbb{G}$ and $λ\in U(1)$, as well as the twisted cocycle equation $π(a_1)f-λ_1f=π(a_2)g-λ_2 g$ for commuting partially hyperbolic elements $a_1,\,a_2\in \mathbb{G}$. We characterize the obstructions to solving these equations, construc…
We prove the locally differentiable rigidity of generic partially hyperbolic abelian algebraic high-rank actions on compact homogeneous spaces obtained from split symplectic Lie groups. We also gave a non-generic action rigidity example on compact homogeneous spaces obtained from SL(2n,R) or SL(2n,C). The conclusions are based on geometric Katok-Damjanovic way and progress towards computations of the generating relations in these groups.
We prove the first rigidity and classification theorems for crossed product von Neumann algebras given by actions of non-discrete, locally compact groups. We prove that for arbitrary free probability measure preserving actions of connected simple Lie groups of real rank one, the crossed product has a unique Cartan subalgebra up to unitary conjugacy. We then deduce a W* strong rigidity theorem for irreducible actions of products of such groups. More generally, our results hold for products of locally compact groups that are nonamenable, weakly amenable and that belong to Ozawa's class S.
This belongs to a series of papers motivated by Ballmann's Higher Rank Rigidity Conjecture. We prove the following. Let $X$ be a CAT(0) space with a geometric group action. Suppose that every geodesic in $X$ lies in an $n$-flat, $n\geq 2$. If $X$ contains a periodic $n$-flat which does not bound a flat $(n+1)$-half-space, then $X$ is a Riemannian symmetric space, a Euclidean building or non-trivially splits as a metric product. This generalizes the Higher Rank Rigidity Theorem for Hadamard manifolds with geometric group actions.
Let $\mathbb{G}$ denote a higher rank $\mathbb R$-split simple Lie group of the following type: $SL(n,\mathbb R)$, $SO_o(m,m)$, $E_{6(6)}$, $E_{7(7)}$ and $E_{8(8)}$, where $m\geq 4$ and $n \geq 3$. We study the cohomological equation for discrete parabolic actions on $\mathbb G$ via representation theory. Specifically, we characterize the obstructions to solving the cohomological equation and construct smooth solutions with Sobolev estimates. We prove that global estimates of the solution are generally not tame, and our non-tame estimates in the case $\mathbb G=SL(n,\mathbb R)$ are sharp up t…
In this paper we study perturbations of constant cocycles for actions of higher rank semi-simple algebraic groups and their lattices. Roughly speaking, for ergodic actions, Zimmer's cocycle superrigidity theorems implies that the perturbed cocycle is measurably conjugate to a constant cocycle modulo a compact valued cocycle. The main point of this article is to see that a cocycle which is a continuous perturbation of a constant cocycle is actually continuously conjugate back to the original constant cocycle modulo a cocycle that is continuous and "small". We give some applications to perturbat…
We prove that every smooth diffeomorphism group valued cocycle over certain abelian Anosov actions on tori (and more generally on infranilmanifolds), is a smooth coboundary on a finite cover, if the cocycle is center bunched and trivial at a fixed point. For smooth cocycles which are not trivial at a fixed point, we have smooth reduction of cocycles to constant ones, when lifted to the universal cover. These results on cocycle trivialisation apply, via the existing global rigidity results, to maximal Cartan actions by Anosov diffeomorphisms (with at least one transitive), on any compact smooth…
We prove several cases of Zimmer's conjecture for actions of higher-rank cocompact lattices on low dimensional manifolds. For example, if $Γ$ is a cocompact lattice in $\mathrm{Sl}(n, \mathbb R)$, $M$ is a compact manifold, and $ω$ a volume form on $M$ we show that any homomorphism $ρ\colon Γ\rightarrow \mathrm{Diff}(M)$ has finite image if the dimension of $M$ is less than $n-1$ and that any homomorphism $ρ\colon Γ\rightarrow \mathrm{Diff}(M,ω)$ has finite image if the dimension of $M$ is less than $n$. The key step in the proof is to show any such action has uniform subexponential growth of …
The goal of this paper is to study ergodic and rigidity properties of smooth actions of the discrete Heisenberg group $\H$. We establish the decomposition of the tangent space of any $C^\infty$ compact Riemannian manifold $M$ for Lyapunov exponents, and show that all Lyapunov exponents for the center elements are zero. We obtain that if an $\H$ group action contains an Anosov element, then under certain conditions on the element, the center elements are of finite order. In particular there is no faithful codimensional one Anosov Heisenberg group action on any manifolds, and no faithful codimen…