Flows, fixed points and rigidity for Kleinian groups (Q1938485)

In this paper the author discusses the problem of pattern rigidity in real hyperbolic space \({\mathbb H}^{N} (\geq 3)\). Let \(\mathcal C\) denote the space of proper closed subsets of \(\partial{\mathbb H}^{N}\) which contain at least two points, endowed with the Hausdorff topology. Given a cocompact Kleinian group \(G\), a \(G\)-symmetric pattern is a nonempty discrete subset \(\mathcal J\) of \(\mathcal C\) invariant under \(G\). Let \(G_{i}, i=1,2\) be cocompact Kleinian groups and let \({\mathcal J}_{i}\) be \(G_{i}\)-symmetric patterns. If \(h\) is a quasi-conformal map of \(\partial{\mathbb H}^{N}\) such that \(h({\mathcal J}_{1}) ={\mathcal J}_{2}\), then the closed group of homeomorphisms \({\hat G} = \overline{<G_{1}, h^{-1}G_{2}h>}\) preserves the pattern \({\mathcal J}_{1}\). If this map \(h\) is not conformal, then the group \({\hat G}\) contains a non-trivial one parameter subgroup conformally conjugate to a flow of real affine maps. Local discreteness of patterns implies that a pattern cannot be invariant under continuous flow of maps. These facts lead to the following main result: Theorem 1.2. For \(N\geq 3\), suppose that \(G_{i}, i=1,2\) are cocompact Kleinian groups and \({\mathcal J}_{i}\) are \(G_{i}\)-symmetric patterns. If \(h\) is a quasi-conformal homeomorphism such that \(h({\mathcal J}_{1}) ={\mathcal J}_{2}\), then \(h\) must be conformal. Moreover \(G_{1}\) and \(h^{-1}G_{2}h\) are commensurable.