A new nonarithmetic lattice in \(\mathrm{PU}(3,1)\) (Q2175884)

By \textit{G. A. Margulis} superrigidity results [Proc. Int. Congr. Math., Vancouver 1974, Vol. 2, 21--34 (1975; Zbl 0336.57037)], the isometry groups of non-compact Riemannian symmetric spaces of rank \(\ge 2\) contain no nonarithmetic lattices. The same holds true for lattices in the isometry group \(Sp(n,1)\) of quaternionic hyperbolic spaces, for \(n\ge 2\) and of the Cayley plane \(F_{204}\), by the results of \textit{K. Corlette} [Ann. Math. (2) 135, No. 1, 165--182 (1992; Zbl 0768.53025)] and \textit{M. Gromov} [in: Seminari di geometria. Giornate di topologiae e geometria delle varietà, Bologna, Italia, 27 al 29 settembre, 1990. Bologna: Università degli Studi di Bologna, Dipartimento di Matematica. 55--97 (1992; Zbl 0780.53028)]. On the other hand, \textit{M. Gromov} and \textit{I. I. Piatetski-Shapiro} constructed infinitely many commensurability classes of nonarithmetic lattices in \(\mathrm{SO}(n,1)\), for arbitrary~\(n\) [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 66, 93--103 (1988; Zbl 0649.22007)]. In the case of the group \(\mathrm{PU}(n,1)\), finitely many commensurability classes on nonarithmetic lattices are known in \(\mathrm{PS}(2,1)\), due to the work of \textit{G. D. Mostow} [Pac. J. Math. 86, 171--276 (1980; Zbl 0456.22012), \textit{P. Deligne} and \textit{G. D. Mostow} [Commensurabilities among lattices in \(\mathrm{PU}(1,n)\). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press (1993; Zbl 0826.22011)], \textit{G. Barthel} et al. [Geradenkonfigurationen und algebraische Flächen. (Configurations of lines and algebraic surfaces). Braunschweig/Wiesbaden: Friedr. Vieweg \& Sohn (1987; Zbl 0645.14016)], while it is still unknown whether \(\mathrm{PU}(n,1)\) contains any such lattices for \(n>3\). Until now only one example of a nonarithmetic lattice was known in \(\mathrm{PU}(3,1)\). The main result of this paper is the discovery of a new nonarithmetic, noncocompact lattice in \(\mathrm{PU}(3,1)\). It is obtained by carrying out a systematic study of the arithmeticity of the lattices constructed by \textit{W. Couwenberg} et al. [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 101, 69--161 (2005; Zbl 1083.14039)], generalizing both Deligne-Mostow and Barthel-Hirzebruck-Höfer constructions. Below \(\mathcal{C}(G_{29},3)\) denotes the CHL lattice derived from the Shepard-Todd group \(G_{29}\), generated by complex reflections of angle \(2\pi/3\) in \(\mathbb{C}^4\). Theorem. Let \(\Gamma\) be a CHL lattice derived from an exceptional finite complex reflection group \(G\) acting irreducibly on \(V=\mathbf{C}^{n+1}\), for \(n\ge 3\). Then \(\Gamma\) is arithmetic, unless \(\Gamma=\mathcal{C}(G_{29},3)\). Theorem. The lattice \(\mathcal{C}(G_{29},3)\) is a nonarithmetic, noncocompact lattice, with adjoint trace field \(\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt3)\). It is not commensurable to any Deligne-Mostow lattice.