Rigidity for aspherical manifolds with \(\pi_1\subset GL_m(\mathbb{R})\) (Q1275239)

Let \( M \) be a compact manifold with possibly non-empty boundary \( \partial M\). \(M \) is called topologically rigid if any homotopy equivalence \( h: (N, \partial N) \rightarrow (M, \partial M) \), where \( N \) is another compact manifold and the restriction \( h_{| \partial N} \) is a homeomorphism, satisfies the following condition: there exists a homotopy \( h_t :(N, \partial N) \rightarrow (M, \partial M) \) from \( h \) to a homeomorphism such that \( h_{t | \partial N} = h_{| \partial N}\) If one drops the conditions that \( h_{| \partial N} \) is a homeomorphism and \( h_{t | \partial N} = h_{| \partial N}, \) the resulting concept is called absolute topological rigidity. Recall that a Riemannian manifold is \(A\)-regular if for some non-negative sequence \( A=(A_k) \) we have \( | \nabla^k R | \leq A_k, \) where the indices \( k \) vary over the natural numbers and \( \nabla^k R \) is the \( k \)-th covariant derivative of the curvature tensor field [see \textit{J. Cheeger, K. Fukaya} and \textit{M. Gromov}, J. Am. Math. Soc. 5, No. 2, 327-372 (1992; Zbl 0758.53022)]. The authors prove the following result: if \( M \) is an aspherical manifold of dimension \( \not= 3, 4 \) and \( \pi_1 (M) \) is isomorphic to the fundamental group of an A-regular complete non-positively curved Riemannian manifold, then \( M \) is topologically rigid. Also, the most general version of this result is formulated. In particular, they show that all compact complete affine flat manifolds of dimension \( \not= 3, 4 \) are topologically rigid. Note that the authors have previously verified topological rigidity for all closed non-positively curved Riemannian manifolds of dimension \( \not= 3, 4 \) [ibid. 2, No. 2, 257-369 (1989; Zbl 0696.57018); Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 54, Part 3, 229-274 (1993; Zbl 0796.53043)] and for every closed aspherical manifold of dimension \( \not= 3 \) whose fundamental group is virtually poly-\( \mathbb{Z} \) [Invent. Math. 91, No. 3, 559-586 (1988; Zbl 0657.57015)]. Another application to double coset spaces is also derived. Uniqueness of manifold compactifications of a manifold is investigated as well as some absolute rigidity results are established. A special case of a well-known conjecture concerning the class of fundamental groups of closed aspherical manifolds [\textit{P. E. Conner} and \textit{F. Raymond}, Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 83, 36-85 (1977; Zbl 0341.57003)] is verified. This partial verification is applied in order to obtain results on the Nielsen type problem [Conner and Raymond, loc. cit.]. Some open problems are pointed out.