We consider the problems of measurable isomorphisms and joinings, measurable centralizers and quotients for certain classes of ergodic group actions on infinite measure spaces. Our main focus is on systems of algebraic origin: actions of lattices and other discrete subgroups on homogeneous spaces G/H where H is a sufficiently rich unimodular subgroup in a semi-simple group G. We also consider actions of discrete subgroups of isometries Isom(X) of a pinched negative curvature space X, acting on the space of horospheres Hor(X). For such systems we prove that the only measurable isomorphisms, joinings, quotients etc. are the obvious algebraic (or geometric) ones. This work was inspired by the previous work of Shalom and Steger, but uses completely different techniques which lead to more general results.
In this paper, we prove that for $\mathcal{C}^1$ generic volume-preserving Anosov diffeomorphisms of a compact Riemannian manifold, Livšic measurable rigidity theorem holds. We also prove that for $\mathcal{C}^1$ generic volume-preserving Anosov flows of a compact Riemannian manifold, Livšic measurable rigidity theorem holds.
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 any measurable solution of the cohomological equation for a Hölder linear cocycle over a hyperbolic system coincides almost everywhere with a Hölder solution. More generally, we show that every measurable invariant conformal structure for a Hölder linear cocycle over a hyperbolic system coincides almost everywhere with a continuous invariant conformal structure. We also use the main theorem to show that a linear cocycle is conformal if none of its iterates preserve a measurable family of proper subspaces of $\mathbb{R}^{d}$. We use this to characterize closed negatively curved Rie…
In this paper we investigate aspects of rigidity and flexibility for conformal iterated function systems. For the case in which the systems are not essentially affine we show that two such systems are conformal equivalent if and only if in each of their Lyapunov spectra there exists at least one level set such that the corresponding Gibbs measures coincide. We then proceed by comparing this result with the essentially affine situation. We show that essentially affine systems are far less rigid than non--essentially affine systems, and subsequently we then investigate the extent of their flexib…
Let $G, H$ be two Kleinian groups with homeomorphic quotients $\mathbb H^3/G$ and $\mathbb H^3/H$. We assume that $G$ is of divergence type, and consider the Patterson-Sullivan measures of $G$ and $H$. The measurable rigidity theorem by Sullivan and Tukia says that a measurable and essentially directly measurable equivariant boundary map $\widehat k$ from the limit set $Λ_G$ of $G$ to that of $H$ is either the restriction of a Möbius transformation or totally singular. In this paper, we shall show that such $\widehat k$ always exists. In fact, we shall construct $\widehat k$ concretely from th…
Consider homogeneous G/H and G/F, for an S-algebraic group G. A lattice Γ acts on the left strictly conservatively. The following rigidity results are obtained: morphisms, factors and joinings defined apriori only in the measurable category are in fact algebraically constrained. Arguing in an elementary fashion we manage to classify all the measurable Φ commuting with the Γ-action: assuming ergodicity, we find they are algebraically defined.
We show that for certain classes of actions of Z^d, d >= 2, by automorphisms of the torus any measurable conjugacy has to be affine, hence measurable conjugacy implies algebraic conjugacy; similarly any measurable factor is algebraic, and algebraic and affine centralizers provide invariants of measurable conjugacy. Using the algebraic machinery of dual modules and information about class numbers of algebraic number fields we consruct various examples of Z^d-actions by Bernoulli automorphisms whose measurable orbit structure is rigid, including actions which are weakly isomorphic but not isomor…
Assuming positive entropy we prove a measure rigidity theorem for higher rank actions on tori and solenoids by commuting automorphisms. We also apply this result to obtain a complete classification of disjointness and measurable factors for these actions.
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.
In this paper we discuss some connections between measurable dynamics and rigidity aspects of group representations and group actions. A new ergodic feature of familiar group boundaries is introduced, and is used to obtain rigidity results for group representations and to prove simplicity of Lyapunov exponents for some dynamical systems.
An invariant measure for a flow is, of course, an invariant measure for any of its time-t maps. But the converse is far from being true. Hence, one may naturally ask: What is the obstruction for an invariant measure for the time-one map to be invariant for the flow itself? We give an answer in terms of measure disintegration. Surprisingly all it takes is the measure not to be "too much pathological in the orbits". We prove the following rigidity result. If $μ$ is an ergodic probability for the time-one map of a flow, then it is either highly pathological in the orbits, or it is highly regular …
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.
Let $d > 1$, and let $(X,α)$ and $(Y,β)$ be two zero-entropy ${\mathbb{Z}}^d$-actions on compact abelian groups by $d$ commuting automorphisms. We show that if all lower rank subactions of $α$ and $β$ have completely positive entropy, then any measurable equivariant map from $X$ to $Y$ is an affine map. In particular, two such actions are measurably conjugate if and only if they are algebraically conjugate.
We examine some of the properties of uniformly rigid transformations, and analyze the compatibility of uniform rigidity and (measurable) weak mixing along with some of their asymptotic convergence properties. We show that on Cantor space, there does not exist a finite measure-preserving, totally ergodic, uniformly rigid transformation. We briefly discuss general group actions and show that (measurable) weak mixing and uniform rigidity can coexist in a more general setting.
We classify measures on a homogeneous space which are invariant under a certain solvable subgroup and ergodic under its unipotent radical. Our treatment is independent of characteristic. As a result we get the first measure classification for the action of semisimple subgroups without any characteristic restriction.
We give a criterion for the rigidity of actions on homogeneous spaces. Let $G$ be a real Lie group, $Λ$ a lattice in $G$, and $Γ$ a subgroup of the affine group Aff$(G)$ stabilizing $Λ$. Then the action of $Γ$ on $G/Λ$ has the rigidity property in the sense of S. Popa, if and only if the induced action of $Γ$ on $\mathbb{P}(\frak{g})$ admits no $Γ$-invariant probability measure, where $\frak{g}$ is the Lie algebra of $G$. This generalizes results of M. Burger, and A. Ioana and Y. Shalom. As an application, we establish rigidity for the action of a class of groups acting by automorphisms on nil…
We consider the reducibility problem of cocycles $(α,A)$ on $\T^d\times U(n)$ in Gevrey classes, where $ α$ is a Diophantine vector. We prove that, if a Gevrey cocycle is conjugated to a constant cocycle $(α,C)$ by a suitable measurable conjugacy $(0,B)$, then for almost all $C$ it can be conjugated to $(α,C)$ in the same Gevrey class, provided that $A$ is sufficiently close to a constant. If $B$ is continuous we obtain it is Gevrey smooth. We consider as well the global problem of reducibility in Gevrey classes when $d=1$.
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.
Actions of a locally compact group G on a measure space X give rise to unitary representations of G on Hilbert spaces. We review results on the rigidity of these actions from the spectral point of view, that is, results about the existence of a spectral gap for associated averaging operators and their consequences. We will deal both with spaces X with an infinite measure as well as with spaces with an invariant probability measure. The spectral gap property has several striking applications to group theory, geometry, ergodic theory, operator algebras, graph theory, theoretical computer science…
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.
We study invariant probability measures on the homogeneous space $\mathrm{SL}_n(\mathbb R)/\mathrm{SL}_n(\mathbb Z)$ for the action of subgroups of $\mathrm{SL}_n(\mathbb R)$ of the form $SF$ where $F$ is generated by one parameter unipotent groups and $S$ is a one parameter $\mathbb R$-diagonalizable group normalizing $F$. Under the assumption that $S$ contains an element with only one eigenvalue less than one (counted with multiplicity) and others bigger than one we prove that all the $SF$ invariant and ergodic probability measures on $\mathrm{SL}_n(\mathbb R)/\mathrm{SL}_n(\mathbb Z)$ are h…
Given a surface $M$ and a Borel probability measure $ν$ on the group of $C^2$-diffeomorphisms of $M$, we study $ν$-stationary probability measures on $M$. Assuming the positivity of a certain entropy, the following dichotomy is proved: either the stable distributions for the random dynamics is non-random, or the measure is SRB. In the case that $ν$-a.e. diffeomorphism preserves a common smooth measure $m$, we show that for any positive-entropy stationary measure $μ$, either there exists a $ν$-almost surely invariant $μ$-measurable line field (corresponding do the stable distributions for almos…
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 study Popa's notion of rigidity for equivalence relations induced by actions on homogeneous spaces. For any lattices $Γ,Λ$ in a semisimple Lie group $G$ with finite center and no compact factors we prove that the action $Γ\curvearrowright G/Λ$ is rigid. If in addition $G$ has property (T) then we derive that the von Neumann algebra $L^{\infty}(G/Λ)\rtimesΓ$ has property (T). We also show that if the adjoint action of $G$ on the Lie algebra of $G$ - $\{0\}$ is amenable (e.g. if $G=SL_2(\Bbb R)$), then any ergodic subequivalence relation of the orbit equivalence relation of the action $Γ\curv…
This article discusses two recent works by the author, one with Brown and Hurtado on Zimmer's conjecture and one with Bader, Miller and Stover on totally geodesic submanifolds of real and complex hyperbolic manifolds. The main purpose of juxtaposing these two very disparate sets of results in one article is to emphasize a common aspect: that the study of invariant and partially invariant measures outside the homogeneous setting is important to questions about rigidity in geometry and dynamics. I will also discuss some open questions including some that seem particularly compelling in light of …
Drimbe and Vaes proved an orbit equivalence superrigidity theorem for left-right wreath product actions in the measurable setting. We establish the counterpart result in the topological setting for continuous orbit equivalence. This gives us minimal, topologically free actions that are continuous orbit equivalence superrigid. One main ingredient for the proof is to show continuous cocycle superrigidity for certain generalized full shifts, extending our previous result with Chung.
We investigate analogues of some of the classical results in homogeneous dynamics in non-linear setting. Let $G$ be a closed subgroup of the group of automorphisms of a biregular tree and $Γ<G$ a discrete subgroup. For a large class of groups $G$ we give a classification of probability measures on $G/Γ$ invariant under horospherical subgroups. When $Γ$ is a cocompact lattice, we prove unique ergodicity of the horospherical action. We prove Hedlund's theorem for geometrically finite quotients. Finally, we study equidistribution of large compact orbits.
We utilize Gaussian measure preserving systems to prove the existence and genericity of Lebesgue measure preserving transformations $T:[0,1]\rightarrow [0,1]$ which exhibit both mixing and rigidity behavior along families of asymptotically linearly independent sequences. Let $λ_1,...,λ_N\in[0,1]$ and let $ϕ_1,...,ϕ_N:\mathbb N\rightarrow\mathbb Z$ be asymptotically linearly independent (i.e. for any $(a_1,...,a_N)\in\mathbb Z^N\setminus\{\vec 0\}$, $\lim_{k\rightarrow\infty}|\sum_{j=1}^Na_jϕ_j(k)|=\infty$). Then the class of invertible Lebesgue measure preserving transformations $T:[0,1]\right…
We take the first steps towards a better understanding of continuous orbit equivalence, i.e., topological orbit equivalence with continuous cocycles. First, we characterise continuous orbit equivalence in terms of isomorphisms of C*-crossed products preserving Cartan subalgebras. This is the topological analogue of the classical result by Singer and Feldman-Moore in the measurable setting. Secondly, we turn to continuous orbit equivalence rigidity, i.e., the question whether for certain classes of topological dynamical systems, continuous orbit equivalence implies conjugacy. We show that this …
We prove measure rigidity for the action of (maximal) horospherical subgroups on homogeneous spaces obtained by quotient by a uniform (nonuniform) arithmetic lattices over a field of positive characteristic.
We show a geometric rigidity of isometric actions of non compact (semisimple) Lie groups on Lorentz manifolds. Namely, we show that the manifold has a warped product structure of a Lorentz manifold with constant curvature by a Riemannian manifold.
We define globally hypoelliptic smooth $\mathbb R^k$ actions as actions whose leafwise Laplacian along the orbit foliation is a globally hypoelliptic differential operator. When $k=1$, strong global rigidity is conjectured for such actions by Greenfield-Wallach and Katok: every such action is smoothly conjugate to a Diophantine flow on the torus. The conjecture has been confirmed for all homogeneous flows on homogeneous spaces \cite{FFRH}. In this paper we conjecture that among homogeneous $\mathbb R^k$ actions ($k\ge 2$) on homogeneous spaces globally hypoelliptic actions exist only on nilman…
This paper proves that there are no compact forms for a large class of homogeneous spaces admitting actions by higher-rank semisimple Lie groups. It builds on Zimmer's approach for studying such spaces using cocycle superrigidity. The proof involves cocycle superrigidity, measure rigidity for unipotent flows, techniques from partially hyperbolic dynamics, and the geometry and pseudo-Riemannian structure of the homogeneous space.
Consider an homogeneous space under a locally compact group G and a lattice in G. Then the lattice naturally acts on the homogeneous space. Looking at a dense orbit, one may wonder how to describe its repartition. One then adopt a dynamical point of view and compare the asymptotic distribution of points in the orbits with the natural measure on the space. In the setting of Lie groups and their homogeneous spaces, several results showed an equidistribution of points in the orbits using Ratner's rigidity of polynomial dynamics in homogeneous spaces. We address here this problem in the setting of…
We study equivalence relations that arise from translation actions $Γ\curvearrowright G$ which are associated to dense embeddings $Γ<G$ of countable groups into second countable locally compact groups. Assuming that $G$ is simply connected and the action $Γ\curvearrowright G$ is strongly ergodic, we prove that $Γ\curvearrowright G$ is orbit equivalent to another such translation action $Λ\curvearrowright H$ if and only if there exists an isomorphism $δ:G\rightarrow H$ such that $δ(Γ)=Λ$. If $G$ is moreover a real algebraic group, then we establish analogous rigidity results for the translation…
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 …
