Some geometric groups with rapid decay (Q2571725)

A discrete group \(\Gamma\) is said to have the property of Rapid Decay (property RD) with respect to a length function \(\ell\) if there exists a polynomial \(P\) such that for any \(r\in\mathbb{R}_+\) and any \(f\) in the complex group algebra \(\mathbb{C}\Gamma\) supported on elements of length shorter that \(r\) the following inequality holds: \[ \| f\|_*\leq P(r)\| f\|_2, \] where \(\| f\|_*\) denotes the operator norm of \(f\) acting by left convolution on \(\ell^2(\Gamma)\), and \(\| f\|_2\) is the usual \(\ell^2\) norm. This property has been introduced and studied by \textit{P. Jolissaint} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 317, No. 1, 167--196 (1990; Zbl 0711.46054)] and is now relevant in the context of the Baum-Connes conjecture. The first main result of this paper is the following: Groups which are hyperbolic relative to a family of polynomial growth subgroups satisfy property RD. Here, both Gromov's and Farb's definitions for the notion of a group \(G\) being hyperbolic relative to a collection of subgroups are used. Indeed, according to Theorem 7.10 of \textit{B. H. Bowditch} [Relative hyperbolic groups, preprint, University of Southampton (1998)], Farb's definition together with the bounded coset penetration property is equivalent to the Gromov definition. This result leads to the new examples of groups with the property RD. So, combining the computations used to prove the previous result with further geometrical considerations, the following second main result is proved: Groups acting properly with uniformly bounded stabilizers and cellularly on a CAT(0) cube complex of finite dimension have property RD.