We initiate a quantitative study of measure equivalence (and orbit equivalence) between finitely generated groups, which extends the classical setting of $\mathrm L^p$ measure equivalence. In this paper, our main focus will be on amenable groups, for which we prove both rigidity and flexibility results.
On the rigidity side, we prove a general monotonicity property satisfied by the isoperimetric profile, which implies in particular its invariance under $\mathrm L^1$ measure equivalence. This yields explicit "lower bounds" on how integrable a measure coupling between two amenable groups can be. This result also has an unexpected application to geometric group theory: the isoperimetric profile turns out to be monotonous under coarse embedding between amenable groups. This has various applications, among which the existence of an uncountable family of $3$-solvable groups which pairwise do not coarsely embed into one another.
On the flexibility side, we construct explicit orbit equivalences between amenable groups with prescribed integrability conditions. Our main tool is a new notion of Følner tiling sequences. We show in a number of instances that the bounds derived from the isoperimetric profile are sharp up to a logarithmic factor. We also deduce from this study that two important quasi-isometry invariants are not preserved under $\mathrm L^1$ orbit equivalence: the asymptotic dimension and finite presentability.
The goals of this paper are twofold. First, we generalize the result of Gaboriau and Lyons [GL07] to the setting of von Neumann's problem for equivalence relations, proving that for any non-amenable ergodic probability measure preserving (pmp) equivalence relation $\mathcal{R}$, the Bernoulli extension over a non-atomic base space $(K, κ)$ contains the orbit equivalence relation of a free ergodic pmp action of $\mathbb{F}_2$. Moreover, we provide conditions which imply that this holds for any non-trivial probability space $K$. Second, we use this result to prove that any non-amenable unimodula…
After a short introduction to the general notion of Borel fields of metric spaces we introduce the notion of the action of an equivalence relation on such fields. Then, we specify the study to the Borel fields of proper CAT(0) spaces and we obtain a rigidity result for the action of an amenable equivalence relation on a Borel field of proper CAT(0) spaces. This main theorem is inspired by the result obtained by Adams and Ballmann regarding the action of an amenable group on a proper CAT(0) space.
We introduce inner amenability for discrete p.m.p. groupoids and investigate its basic properties, examples, and the connection with central sequences in the full group of the groupoid or central sequences in the von Neumann algebra associated with the groupoid. Among other things, we show that every free ergodic p.m.p. compact action of an inner amenable group gives rise to an inner amenable orbit equivalence relation. We also obtain an analogous result for compact extensions of equivalence relations which either are stable or have a non-trivial central sequence in their full group.
We say that two free probability-measure-preserving actions of countable groups are Shannon orbit equivalent if there is an orbit equivalence between them whose associated cocycle partitions have finite Shannon entropy. We show that if the acting groups are sofic and each has a w-normal amenable subgroup which is neither locally finite nor virtually cyclic then Shannon orbit equivalence implies that the actions have the same maximum sofic entropy. This extends a result of Austin beyond the finitely generated amenable setting and has the consequence that two Bernoulli actions of a group with th…
A measure-preserving action of a discrete countable group on a standard probability space is called stable if the associated equivalence relation is isomorphic to its direct product with the ergodic hyperfinite equivalence relation of type II_1. We show that any Baumslag-Solitar group has such an ergodic, free and stable action. It follows that any Baumslag-Solitar group is measure equivalent to its direct product with any amenable group. The same property is obtained for the inner amenable groups of Vaes.
We study amenable minimal Cantor systems of free groups arising from the diagonal actions of the boundary actions and certain Cantor systems. It is shown that every virtually free group admits continuously many amenable minimal Cantor systems whose crossed products are mutually non-isomorphic Kirchberg algebras in the UCT class (with explicitly determined K-theory). The technique developed in our study also enables us to compute the K-theory of certain amenable minimal Cantor systems. We apply it to the diagonal actions of the boundary actions and the products of the odometer transformations, …
We get three types of results on measure equivalence rigidity; direct product groups of Ozawa's class $\mathcal{S}$ groups, wreath product groups and amalgamated free products. We prove measure equivalence factorization results on direct product groups of Ozawa's class $\mathcal{S}$ groups. As consequences, Monod--Shalom type orbit equivalence rigidity theorems follow. We prove that if two wreath product groups $A \wr G$, $B \wr Γ$ of non-amenable exact direct product groups $G$, $Γ$ with amenable bases $A$, $B$ are measure equivalent, then $G$ and $Γ$ are measure equivalent. We get Bass--Serr…
We show the equivalence of several amenability type conditions for C*-dynamical systems. As an application, based on the Pimsner--Meyer construction, we give a new method to produce amenable actions on simple C*-algebras.
It is shown that $2β_1(\G)\leq h(\G)$ for any countable group $\G$, where $β_1(\G)$ is the first $\ell^2$-Betti number and $h(\G)$ the uniform isoperimetric constant. In particular, a countable group with non-vanishing first $\ell^2$-Betti number is uniformly non-amenable. We then define isoperimetric constants in the framework of measured equivalence relations. For an ergodic measured equivalence relation $R$ of type $\IIi$, the uniform isoperimetric constant $h(R)$ of $R$ is invariant under orbit equivalence and satisfies $$ 2β_1(R)\leq 2C(R)-2\leq h(R), $$ where $β_1(\R)$ is the first $\ell…
We single out a large class of groups ${\mathscr{M}}$ for which the following unique prime factorization result holds: if $Γ_1,\dots,Γ_n\in {\mathscr{M}}$ and $Γ_1\times\dots\timesΓ_n$ is measure equivalent to a product $Λ_1\times\dots\timesΛ_m$ of infinite icc groups, then $n \ge m$, and if $n = m$ then, after permutation of the indices, $Γ_i$ is measure equivalent to $Λ_i$, for all $1\leq i\leq n$. This provides an analogue of Monod and Shalom's theorem \cite{MS02} for groups that belong to ${\mathscr{M}}$. Class ${\mathscr{M}}$ is constructed using groups whose von Neumann algebras admit an…
In this paper, we study the descriptive set theoretic complexity of the equivalence relation of conjugacy of Toeplitz subshifts of a residually finite group $G$. On the one hand, we show that if $G = \mathbb{Z}$, then topological conjugacy on Toeplitz subshifts with separated holes is amenable. In contrast, if $G$ is non-amenable, then conjugacy of Toeplitz $G$-subshifts is a non-amenable equivalence relation. The results were motivated by a general question, asked by Gao, Jackson and Seward, about the complexity of conjugacy for minimal, free subshifts of countable groups.
To an ergodic, essentially free and measure-preserving action of a non-amenable Baumslag-Solitar group on a standard probability space, a flow is associated. The isomorphism class of the flow is shown to be an invariant of such actions of Baumslag-Solitar groups under weak orbit equivalence. Results on groups which are measure equivalent to Baumslag-Solitar groups are also provided.
Let $G$ and $H$ be infinite finitely generated amenable groups. This paper studies two notions of equivalence between actions of such groups on standard Borel probability spaces. They are defined as stable orbit equivalences in which the associated cocycles satisfy certain tail bounds. In `integrable stable orbit equivalence', the length in $H$ of the cocycle-image of an element of $G$ must have finite integral over its domain (a subset of the $G$-system), and similarly for the reverse cocycle. In `bounded stable orbit equivalence', these functions must be essentially bounded in terms of the l…
Using probabilistic methods, Collins and Dykema proved that the free product of two sofic groups amalgamated over a monotileably amenable subgroup is sofic as well. We show that the restriction is unnecessary; the free product of two sofic groups amalgamated over an arbitrary amenable subgroup is sofic. We also prove a group theoretical analogue of a result of Kenley Jung. A finitely generated group is amenable if and only if it has only one sofic representation up to conjugacy equivalence.
We show an invariance result for the L2-torsion of groups under uniform measure equivalence provided a measure-theoretic version of the determinant conjecture holds. The measure-theoretic determinant conjecture is discussed and, for instance, proved for Bernoulli actions of residually amenable groups.
We prove that for any infinite, maximal amenable subgroup $H$ in a hyperbolic group $G$, the von Neumann subalgebra $LH$ is maximal amenable inside $LG$. It provides many new, explicit examples of maximal amenable subalgebras in II$_1$ factors. We also prove similar maximal amenability results for direct products of relatively hyperbolic groups and orbit equivalence relations arising from measure-preserving actions of such groups.
Kida and Tucker-Drob recently extended the notion of inner amenability from countable groups to discrete p.m.p. groupoids. In this article, we show that inner amenable groupoids have "fixed priced 1" in the sense that every principal extension of an inner amenable groupoid has cost 1. This simultaneously generalizes and unifies two well known results on cost from the literature, namely, (1) a theorem of Kechris stating that every ergodic p.m.p. equivalence relation admitting a nontrivial asymptotically central sequence in its full group has cost 1, and (2) a theorem of Tucker-Drob stating that…
We undertake a comprehensive study of measure equivalence between general locally compact, second countable groups, providing operator algebraic and ergodic theoretic reformulations, and complete the classification of amenable groups within this class up to measure equivalence.
We analyse the structure of the quotient $\mathrm{A}_\sim(Γ,X,μ)$ of the space of measure-preserving actions of a countable discrete group by the relation of weak equivalence. This space carries a natural operation of convex combination. We show that the convex structure of $\mathrm{A}_\sim(Γ,X,μ)$ is compatible with the topology, and as a consequence deduce that $\mathrm{A}_\sim(Γ,X,μ)$ is path connected. Using ideas of Tucker-Drob we are able to give a complete description of the topological and convex structure of $\mathrm{A}_\sim(Γ,X,μ)$ for amenable $Γ$ by identifying it with the simplex …
We define a probability measure preserving and r-discrete groupoid that is associated to every invariant point process on a locally compact and second countable group. This groupoid governs certain factor processes of the point process, in particular the existence of Cayley factor graphs. With this method we are able to show that point processes on amenable groups admit all (and only admit) Cayley factor graphs of amenable groups, and that the Poisson point process on groups with Kazhdan's Property (T) admits no Cayley factor graphs. This gives examples of pmp countable Borel equivalence relat…
We prove that if two topologically free and entropy regular actions of countable sofic groups on compact metrizable spaces are continuously orbit equivalent, and each group either (i) contains a w-normal amenable subgroup which is neither locally finite nor virtually cyclic, or (ii) is a non-locally-finite product of two infinite groups, then the actions have the same sofic topological entropy. This fact is then used to show that if two free uniquely ergodic and entropy regular probability-measure-preserving actions of such groups are boundedly orbit equivalent then the actions have the same s…
We show that every non-amenable free product of groups admits free ergodic probability measure preserving actions which have relative property (T) in the sense of S.-Popa \cite[Def. 4.1]{Pop06}. There are uncountably many such actions up to orbit equivalence and von Neumann equivalence, and they may be chosen to be conjugate to any prescribed action when restricted to the free factors. We exhibit also, for every non-amenable free product of groups, free ergodic probability measure preserving actions whose associated equivalence relation has trivial outer automorphisms group. This gives in part…
We give an elementary proof for Lewis Bowen's theorem saying that two Bernoulli actions of two free groups, each having arbitrary base probability spaces, are stably orbit equivalent. Our methods also show that for all compact groups K and every free product Γof n infinite amenable groups, the factor K^Γ/K of the Bernoulli action of Γon K^Γ by the diagonal action of K, is isomorphic with a Bernoulli action of Γ.
We prove that the alternating group of a topologically free action of a countably infinite group $Γ$ on the Cantor set has the property that all of its $\ell^2$-Betti numbers vanish and, in the case that $Γ$ is amenable, is stable in the sense of Jones and Schmidt and has property Gamma (and in particular is inner amenable). We show moreover in the realm of amenable $Γ$ that there are many such alternating groups which are simple, finitely generated, and C$^*$-simple. The device for establishing nonisomorphism among these examples is a topological version of Austin's result on the invariance o…
Giving a condition for the the amenability of groups, Rosenblatt and Willis, first introduced the concept of configuration. From the beginning of the theory, the question whether the concept of configuration equivalence coincides with the concept of group isomorphism was posed. We negatively answer this open question by introducing two non-isomorphic, solvable and hence amenable groups which are configuration equivalent. Also, we will study some types of subgroups in configuration equivalent groups. In particular, we will prove this conjecture, due to Rosenblatt and Willis, that configuration …
The purpose of this note is twofold. In the first part we observe that two finitely generated non-amenable groups are quasi-isometric if and only if they admit topologically orbit equivalent Cantor minimal actions. In particular, free groups if different rank admit topologically orbit equivalent Cantor minimal actions unlike in the measurable setting. In the second part we introduce the measured orbit equivalence category of a Cantor minimal system and construct (in certain cases) a representation of this category on the category of finite-dimensional vector spaces. This gives rise to novel fu…
We study the analogue in orbit equivalence of free product decomposition and free indecomposability for countable groups. We introduce the (orbit equivalence invariant) notion of freely indecomposable ({\FI}) standard probability measure preserving equivalence relations and establish a criterion to check it, namely non-hyperfiniteness and vanishing of the first $L^2$-Betti number. We obtain Bass-Serre rigidity results, \textit{i.e.} forms of uniqueness in free product decompositions of equivalence relations with ({\FI}) components. The main features of our work are weak algebraic assumptions a…
It is well known that a dense subgroup $G$ of the complex unitary group $U(d)$ cannot be amenable as a discrete group when $d>1$. When $d$ is large enough we give quantitative versions of this phenomenon in connection with certain estimates of random Fourier series on the compact group $\bar G$ that is the closure of $G$. Roughly, we show that if $\bar G$ covers a large enough part of $U(d)$ in the sense of metric entropy then $G$ cannot be amenable. The results are all based on a version of a classical theorem of Jordan that says that if $G$ is finite, or amenable as a discrete group, then $G…
We prove that the L^2-Betti numbers of a unimodular locally compact group G coincide, up to a natural scaling constant, with the L^2-Betti numbers of the countable equivalence relation induced on a cross section of any essentially free ergodic probability measure preserving action of G. As a consequence, we obtain that the reduced and un-reduced L^2-Betti numbers of G agree and that the L^2-Betti numbers of a lattice Gamma in G equal those of G up to scaling by the covolume of Gamma in G. We also deduce several vanishing results, including the vanishing of the reduced L^2-cohomology for amenab…
We study equivalence relations $\mathcal R(Γ\curvearrowright G)$ that arise from left translation actions of countable groups on their profinite completions. Under the assumption that the action $Γ\curvearrowright G$ is free and has spectral gap, we describe precisely when $\mathcal R(Γ\curvearrowright G)$ is orbit equivalent or Borel reducible to another such equivalence relation $\mathcal R(Λ\curvearrowright H)$. As a consequence, we provide explicit uncountable families of free ergodic probability measure preserving (p.m.p.) profinite actions of $SL_2(\mathbb Z)$ and its non-amenable subgro…
We study $2$-dimensional Artin groups of hyperbolic type from the viewpoint of measure equivalence, and establish rigidity theorems. We first prove that they are boundary amenable. So is every group acting discretely by simplicial isometries on a connected piecewise hyperbolic $\mathrm{CAT}(-1)$ simplicial complex with countably many simplices in finitely many isometry types, assuming that vertex stabilizers are boundary amenable. Consequently, they satisfy the Novikov conjecture. We then show that measure equivalent $2$-dimensional Artin groups of hyperbolic type have isomorphic fixed set gra…
We consider a new orbit equivalence invariant for measure-preserving actions of groups on the probability space, $σ:G\to$ Aut$(X,μ)$, denoted $χ_0(σ;G)$ and defined as the "intersection" of the 1-cohomology group, H$^1(σ,G)$, with Connes' $χ(M)$ invariant of the cross product von Neumann algebra, $M=L^\infty(X,μ)\rtimes_σG$. We calculate $χ_0(σ;G)$ for certain actions of groups of the form $G=H\times K$ with $H$ non-amenable and $K$ infinite amenable and we deduce that any such group has uncountably many orbit inequivalent actions.
In this paper, we show that every measure-preserving ergodic equivalence relation of cost less than m comes from a "rich" faithful invariant random subgroup of the free group on m generators, strengthening a result of Bowen which had been obtained by a Baire category argument. Our proof is completely explicit: we use our previous construction of topological generators for full groups and observe that these generators induce a totally non free action. We then twist this construction so that the action is moreover amenable onto almost every orbit and highly faithful.
M. Beiglböck, V. Bergelson, and A. Fish proved that if $G$ is a countable amenable group and $A$ and $B$ are subsets of $G$ with positive Banach density, then the product set $AB$ is piecewise syndetic. This means that there is a finite subset $E$ of $G$ such that $EAB$ is thick, that is, $EAB$ contains translates of any finite subset of $G$. When $G=\mathbb{Z}$, this was first proven by R. Jin. We prove a quantitative version of the aforementioned result by providing a lower bound on the density (with respect to a Følner sequence) of the set of witnesses to the thickness of $% EAB$. When $G=\…
We prove that if two transvection-free right-angled Artin groups are measure equivalent, then they have isomorphic extension graphs. As a consequence, two right-angled Artin groups with finite outer automorphism groups are measure equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic. This matches the quasi-isometry classification. However, in contrast with the quasi-isometry question, we observe that no right-angled Artin group is superrigid for measure equivalence in the strongest possible sense, for two reasons. First, a right-angled Artin group $G$ is always measure equivalent to any graph product…
We examine the question of quasidiagonality for C*-algebras of discrete amenable groups from a variety of angles. We give a quantitative version of Rosenberg's theorem via paradoxical decompositions and a characterization of quasidiagonality for group C*-algebras in terms of embeddability of the groups. We consider several notable examples of groups, such as topological full groups associated with Cantor minimal systems and Abels' celebrated example of a finitely presented solvable group that is not residually finite, and show that they have quasidiagonal C*-algebras. Finally, we study strong …
