We provide an analysis of the dynamics of isometries and semicontractions of metric spaces. Certain subsets of the boundary at infinity play a fundamental role and are identified completely for the standard boundaries of CAT(0)-spaces, Gromov hyperbolic spaces, Hilbert geometries, certain pseudoconvex domains, and partially for Thurston's boundary of Teichmueller spaces. We present several rather general results concerning groups of isometries, as well as the proof of other more specific new theorems, for example concerning the existence of free nonabelian subgroups in CAT(0)-geometry, iteration of holomorphic maps, a metric Furstenberg lemma, random walks on groups, noncompactness of automorphism groups of convex cones, and boundary behaviour of Kobayashi's metric.
Let G be a non-elementary group of isometries of a proper CAT(0)-space with limit set L. We survey properties of the action of G on L under the assumption that G contains a rank-one element. Among others, we show that there is a dense orbit for the action of G on the complement of the diagonal in LxL and that pairs of fixed points of rank-one elements are dense in the complement of the diagonal of LxL.
In the present paper we characterize the surjective isometries of the space of compact, convex subsets of proper, geodesically complete CAT(0)-spaces in which geodesics do not split, endowed with the Hausdorff metric. Moreover, an analogue characterization of the surjective isometries of the space of compact subsets of a proper, uniquely geodesic, geodesically complete metric space in which geodesics do not split, when endowed with the Hausdorff metric, is given.
We study the fixed point set in the ideal boundary of a parabolic isometry of a proper CAT(0)-space. We show that the radius of the fixed point set is at most pi/2, and study its centers. As a consequence, we prove that the set of fixed points is contractible with respect to the Tits topology.
We give positive answers for questions by Berestovskii. Namely, we prove that every bijection of locally compact geodesically complete and connected at infinity CAT(0)-space $X$ onto itself preserving some fixed distance or satellite relations is an isometry of this space. The proof of this theorem is based on another result stated by Berestovskii as a problem: the metric of the space $X$ may be recovered from its diagonal tube corresponding to an arbitrary number $r > 0$.
We consider actions of locally compact groups $G$ on certain CAT(0) spaces $X$ by isometries. The CAT(0) spaces we consider have finite dimension at large scale. In case $B$ is a $G$-boundary, that is a measurable $G$-space with amenability and ergodicity properties, we prove the existence of equivariant maps from $B$ to the visual boundary $\partial X$.
Let $X$ be a CAT(0) space, and $G$ a discrete cyclic group of isometries of $X$. We investigate the domain of discontinuity for the action of $G$ on the boundary $\partial X$.
This paper has been withdrawn by the authors. Significantly revised versions of the results of this paper are now available in arXiv:0707.0487v2 and arXiv:0808.3169v1.
We consider a `contracting boundary' of a proper geodesic metric space consisting of equivalence classes of geodesic rays that behave like geodesics in a hyperbolic space. We topologize this set via the Gromov product, in analogy to the topology of the boundary of a hyperbolic space. We show that when the space is not hyperbolic, quasi-isometries do not necessarily give homeomorphisms of this boundary. Continuity can fail even when the spaces are required to be CAT(0). We show this by constructing an explicit example.
We give a generalization to convex co-compact semigroups of a beautiful theorem of Patterson-Sullivan, telling that the critical exponent (that is the exponential growth rate) equals the Hausdorff dimension of the limit set (that is the smallest closed non-empty invariant subset), for a isometries discrete group of a proper hyperbolic space with compact boundary. To do that, we introduce a notion of entropy, which generalize the notion of critical exponent of discrete groups, and we show that it is equal to the upper bound of critical exponents of Schottky sub-semigroups (which are semigroups …
Let $X$ be a proper, non-compact CAT(-1) space, and $Γ$ a discrete cocompact subgroup of the isometries of $X$. We compactify the diagonal action of $Γ$ on $X \times X$ considering a domain of the horofunction boundary with respect to the maximum metric.
We give a criterion for a set of $n$ hyperbolic isometries of a $\mathrm{CAT}(0)$ metric space $X$ to generate a free group on $n$ generators. This extends a result by Alperin, Farb and Noskov who proved this for 2 generators under the additional assumption that $X$ is complete and has no fake zero angles. Moreover, when $X$ is locally compact, the group we obtain is also discrete.
For n greater or equal 4 we discuss questions concerning global fixed points for isometric actions of Aut(Fn), the automorphism group of a free group of rank n, on complete CAT(0) spaces. We prove that whenever Aut(Fn) acts by isometries on complete d-dimensional CAT(0) space with d is less than 2 times the integer function of n over 4 and minus 1, then it must fix a point. This property has implications for irreducible representations of Aut(Fn), which are also presented here. For SAut(Fn), the unique subgroup of index two in Aut(Fn), we obtain similar results.
Let $Γ$ be a discrete group acting by isometries on a product $X=X_1\times X_2$ of Hadamard spaces. We further require that $X_1$, $X_2$ are locally compact and $Γ$ contains two elements projecting to a pair of independent rank one isometries in each factor. Apart from discrete groups acting by isometries on a product of CAT(-1)-spaces, the probably most interesting examples of such groups are Kac-Moody groups over finite fields acting on the Davis complex of their associated twin building. In a previous article we showed that the regular geometric limit set $\Lim$ splits as a product $F_Γ\tim…
We show that any filtering family of closed convex subsets of a finite-dimensional CAT(0) space $X$ has a non-empty intersection in the visual bordification $ \bar{X} = X \cup \partial X$. Using this fact, several results known for proper CAT(0) spaces may be extended to finite-dimensional spaces, including the existence of canonical fixed points at infinity for parabolic isometries, algebraic and geometric restrictions on amenable group actions, and geometric superrigidity for non-elementary actions of irreducible uniform lattices in products of locally compact groups.
We study groups of isometries of packed, geodesically complete, CAT$(0)$-spaces for which the systole at every point is smaller than a universal constant depending only on the packing, deducing strong rigidity results. We show that if a space as above has some negative curvature behaviour then it cannot support a thin action: this generalizes the classical Margulis Lemma to a broader class of spaces.
Let $X$ be a proper CAT($0$) space and $G$ a cocompact group of isometries of $X$ without fixed point at infinity. We prove that if $\partial X$ contains an invariant subset of circumradius $π/2$, then $X$ contains a quasi-dense, closed convex subspace that splits as a product. Adding the assumption that the $G$-action on $X$ is properly discontinuous, we give more conditions that are equivalent to a product splitting. In particular, this occurs if $\partial X$ contains a proper nonempty, closed, invariant, $π$-convex set in $\partial X$; or if some nonempty closed, invariant set in $\partial …
We generalize the natural cross ratio on the ideal boundary of a rank one symmetric spaces, or even $\mathrm{CAT}(-1)$ space, to higher rank symmetric spaces and (non-locally compact) Euclidean buildings - we obtain vector valued cross ratios defined on simplices of the building at infinity. We show several properties of those cross ratios; for example that (under some restrictions) periods of hyperbolic isometries give back the translation vector. In addition, we show that cross ratio preserving maps on the chamber set are induced by isometries and vice versa - motivating that the cross ratio…
We investigate CAT(0) metric spaces whose associated Tits boundary is compact. Prominent examples of such spaces are of course the euclidean ones. However there exist non trivial geodesically complete CAT(0) spaces with compact Tits boundary that are far from being flat. We show that if the isometry group of such a space acts cocompactly, then the space is "as flat as possible", i.e. the boundary minimal subspace must be flat. Our result relies on the existence of hyperbolic isometries, which is a problem itself. We hence add the proof of the following existence proposition: a cocompact CAT(0)…
We prove the following rank rigidity result for proper CAT(0) spaces with one-dimensional Tits boundaries: Let $Γ$ be a group acting properly discontinuously, cocompactly, and by isometries on such a space $X$. If the Tits diameter of $\partial X$ equals $π$ and $Γ$ does not act minimally on $\partial X$, then $\partial X$ is a spherical building or a spherical join. If $X$ is also geodesically complete, then $X$ is a Euclidean building, higher rank symmetric space, or a nontrivial product. Much of the proof, which involves finding a Tits-closed convex building-like subset of $\partial X$, doe…
Torsion subgroups and fixed-point rigidity in CAT(0) geometry
Qiuzhen College, Tsinghua University（清华大学邱班）；Keio University（庆应义塾大学）；Academy for Multidisciplinary Studies, Capital Normal University（首都师范大学多学科研究院）；University of Geneva（日内瓦大学）；Uppsala University（乌普萨拉大学）；Tsinghua University（清华大学）；BIMSA（北京国际数学研究中心）
Motivated by a problem on the dynamics of compositions of plane hyperbolic isometries, we prove several fundamental results on semigroups of isometries, thought of as real Möbius transformations. We define a semigroup $S$ of Möbius transformations to be \emph{semidiscrete} if the identity transformation is not an accumulation point of $S$. We say that $S$ is \emph{inverse free} if it does not contain the identity element. One of our main results states that if $S$ is a semigroup generated by some finite collection $\mathcal{F}$ of Möbius transformations, then $S$ is semidiscrete and inverse fr…
A general fixed point theorem for isometries in terms of metric functionals is proved under the assumption of the existence of a conical bicombing. It is new even for isometries of Banach spaces as well as for non-locally compact CAT(0)-spaces and injective spaces. Examples of actions on non-proper CAT(0)-spaces come from the study of diffeomorphism groups, birational transformations, and compact Kähler manifolds. A special case of the fixed point theorem provides a novel mean ergodic theorem that in the Hilbert space case implies von Neumann's theorem. The theorem accommodates classically fix…
In this paper, we first prove the optimal lower bound for Alexandrov angle rigidity of torsion elliptic isometries on any complete CAT($κ$) space, which, when attained, leads to an embedded 2-flat in the tangent cone invariant under the induced action of the isometry. Next, we will prove similar result for action of symmetry groups of either a regular orthoplex, a regular hypercube, a regular dodecahedron or a regular icosahedron on a set of points in any complete CAT($κ$) space in a way corresponds to the set of vertices of the polytope, the angle made at the circumcenter by any pair of point…
For a k-flat F inside a locally compact CAT(0)-space X, we identify various conditions that ensure that F bounds a (k+1)-dimensional half flat in X. Our conditions are formulated in terms of the ultralimit of X. As applications, we obtain (1) constraints on the behavior of quasi-isometries between tocally compact CAT(0)-spaces, (2) constraints on the possible non-positively curved Riemannian metrics supported by certain manifolds, and (3) a correspondence between metric splittings of a complete, simply connected, non-positively curved Riemannian manifold and the metric splittings of its asympt…
The ramification of a polyhedral space is defined as the metric completion of the universal cover of its regular locus. We consider mainly polyhedral spaces of two origins: quotients of Euclidean space by a discrete group of isometries and polyhedral metrics on the complex projective plane with singularities at a collection of complex lines. In the former case we conjecture that quotient spaces always have a CAT[0] ramification and prove this in several cases. In the latter case we prove that the ramification is CAT[0] if the metric is non-negatively curved. We deduce that complex line arrange…
Let $X$ be a product of locally compact rank one Hadamard spaces and $Γ$ a discrete group of isometries which contains two elements projecting to a pair of independent rank one isometries in each factor. In [arXiv:1308.5584] we gave a precise description of the structure of the geometric limit set of $Γ$; our aim in this paper is to describe this set from a measure theoretical point of view, using as a basic tool the properties of the exponent of growth of $Γ$ established in the aforementioned article. We first show that the conformal density obtained from the classical Patterson-Sullivan cons…
For two discrete metric spaces, $X$ and $Y$ we consider metrics on $X\sqcup Y$ compatible with the metrics on $X$ and $Y$. As morphisms from $X$ to $Y$ we consider the Roe bimodules, i.e. the norm closures of bounded finite propagation operators from $l^2(X)$ to $l^2(Y)$. We study the corresponding category $\mathcal M$, which is also a 2-category. We show that almost isometries determine morphisms in $\mathcal M$. We also consider the case $Y=X$, when there is a richer algebraic structure on the set of morphisms of $\mathcal M$: it is a partially ordered semigroup with the neutral element, wi…
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.
Let (X, d) be a Cat(k) space and P a bounded subset of X . If k > 0 then it is required that the diameter of P be less than Pi/(4 sqrt(k)) . Let u: P to R be a bounded non-negative function from P to R. The existence of a unique point in X called the barycenter of P relative to u is established. When u=1, the barycenter is simply the circumcenter of P. The barycenter has a number of properties including a scaling, continuity and limit property. Under suitable conditions, the barycenter is a fixed point of an isometry or group of isometries. Barycenters are used to show that a complete Cat(k) s…
Let $p\in[1,\infty]$ and $F:\mathbf{Set}\to\mathbf{Set}$ be a functor with finite supports in the category $\mathbf{Set}$ of sets. Given a non-empty metric space $(X,d_X)$, we introduce the distance $d^p_{FX}$ on the functor-space $FX$ as the largest distance such that for every $n\in\mathbb N$ and $a\in Fn$ the map $X^n\to FX$, $f\mapsto Ff(a)$, is non-expanding with respect to the $\ell^p$-metric $d^p_{X^n}$ on $X^n$. We prove that the distance $d^p_{FX}$ is a pseudometric if and only if the functor $F$ preserves singletons; $d^p_{FX}$ is a metric if $F$ preserves singletons and one of the f…
