Group actions on Banach spaces and a geometric characterization of a-T-menability (Q860473): Difference between revisions

According to a result of \textit{M. Gromov} [Geometric group theory. Volume 2: Asymptotic invariants of infinite groups. (London Mathematical Society Lecture Note Series 182. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) (1993; Zbl 0841.20039)] the property of a-T-menability of a second countable, locally compact group (i.e. the existence of a proper, affine, isometric action on a separable Hilbert space) is equivalent to existence of a proper isometric action on the (either real or complex) infinite dimensional hyperbolic space. In [\textit{P.-A. Cherix, M. Cowling, P. Jolissaint, P. Julg} and \textit{A. Valette}, Groups with the Haagerup property. Gromov's a-T-menability (Progress in Mathematics 197. Basel: Birkhäuser) (2001; Zbl 1030.43002)], Valette asked if there are other geometric characterizations of a-T-menability. This paper answers the question raised by Valette. The author proves that a second countable, locally compact group is a-T-menable if and only if it admits a proper, affine, isometric action on the Banach space \(L_p[0,1]\) for some \(1<p<2\) (and if and only if this property holds for all \(1<p<2\)). The proof is based on the fact that \(x\mapsto\| x\|^p\) is conditionally negative definite on \(L_p[0,1]\). The method can not be applied to other Banach spaces.