Amenable coverings of complex manifolds and holomorphic probability measures (Q1209123)

A direct connection is established between the amenability of the covering \(\pi:Y \to X\), \(X\) and \(Y\) complex manifolds, and the efficiency of the push-forward operator \(\pi_ *\) defined by summing over the fiber. Let \({\mathcal L} \to X\) be a holomorphic line-bundle over \(X\), \({\mathcal L}' \to Y\) the pull-back of \({\mathcal L}\) to \(Y\), and \(\Phi:X \to {\mathcal L}\) a holomorphic section of \({\mathcal L}\), \(\Phi \not \equiv 0\). Main result (Theorem 2.1): If \(\pi\) admits an efficient sequence of sections \(\psi_ n:Y \to {\mathcal L}'\) with \(\pi_ *(\psi_ n) = \Phi\), then \(\pi\) is amenable, i.e. there exists a \(\pi_ 1(X)\)-invariant mean (positive finitely additive probability measure) on \(\pi_ 1(X)/ \pi_ 1(Y)\). (The sequence \(\psi_ n\) is efficient if \(\pi_ * | \psi_ n |\) converges to \(| \varphi |\) locally uniformly on \(X\); \(| \Phi |\) is the section of the oriented real line-bundle \(| {\mathcal L}|\) attached to \({\mathcal L})\). The proof uses complex probability measures on the fibers of \(\pi\), varying holomorphically on the base. Conversely (Theorem 2.2): If \(\pi\) is amenable and \(\Phi = \pi_ * (\psi)\) for some \(\psi:Y \to {\mathcal L}'\), then there is an efficient sequence \(\psi_ n\) with \(\pi_ *(\psi_ n) = \Phi\) and \(\pi_ * | \psi_ n | \leq \pi_ * | \psi |\). Theorem 2.1 gives a new proof for Theorem 1.1, which the author obtained in Invent. Math. 97, No. 1, 95-127 (1989; Zbl 0672.30017): Let \(X\) and \(Y\) be Riemann surfaces, \(Q(X)\) and \(Q(Y)\) the Banach space of their integrable holomorphic quadratic differentials with the open unit ball \(B_ X\) and \(B_ Y\), and \(\Theta_{Y/X} = \pi_ * : Q(Y) \to Q(X)\). If \(X\) is hyperbolic, then either \(\pi\) is amenable and \(\Theta (B_ Y) = B_ X\), or \(\pi\) is nonamenable and \(\overline {\Theta (B_ Y)} \subset B_ X\). It follows Kra's Theta conjecture: For the universal cover \(\pi : \Delta \to X\) of a hyperbolic surface \(X\) of finite area \(\| \Theta_{\Delta/X} \|<1\). Finally, the author presents an interpretation of another proof of Kra's conjecture by \textit{D. E. Barrett} and \textit{J. Diller}, Invent. Math. 110, No. 1, 23-27 (1992; Zbl 0769.30036), in order to compare the two approaches.