Fixed sets and free subgroups of groups acting on metric spaces (Q1323455)

Fixed point properties versus existence of free subgroups in groups of homeomorphisms of a topological space have been studied in various contexts. For example, this is present in some sense in the ``Tits alternative'' [\textit{J. Tits}, J. Algebra 20, 250-270 (1972; Zbl 0236.20032)] concerning subgroups of linear groups, see [\textit{P. de la Harpe}, Enseign. Math., II. Sér. 29, 129-144 (1983; Zbl 0517.20024)]. Other examples are provided by infinite trees, see [\textit{J. Tits}, Essays Topol. Relat. Top., Mém. dédiés à Georges de Rham, 188-211 (1970; Zbl 0214.51301); Contrib. to Algebra, Collect. Pap. dedic. E. Kolchin, 377-388 (1977; Zbl 0373.20039); \textit{R. Halin}, Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 39, 251-283 (1973; Zbl 0265.05118); \textit{C. Nebbia}, Pac. J. Math. 133, No. 1, 141-149 (1988; Zbl 0646.43006), 135, No. 2, 371-380 (1988; Zbl 0671.43003); \textit{I. Pays} and \textit{A. Valette}, Enseign. Math., II. Sér. 37, No. 1/2, 151-174 (1991; Zbl 0744.20024)]: a group of automorphisms of a tree either contains a free group on two generators, or fixes a vertex, an edge, an end or a pair of ends. The situation is similar, when instead of a tree one considers an arbitrary infinite, connected graph, see [\textit{R. Halin} (loc. cit.), \textit{W. Woess}, Math. Ann. 284, No. 2, 251-265 (1989; Zbl 0648.43002); \textit{R. G. Möller}, Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 111, No. 2, 255-266 (1992; Zbl 0772.05050), and \textit{H. A. Jung}, Discrete Math. 131, No. 1-3, 115-125 (1994; Zbl 0807.05036)]. Similar results are also known for metric spaces which are hyperbolic in the sense of \textit{M. Gromov} [Essays in group theory, Publ., Math. Sci. Res. Inst. 8, 75-263 (1987; Zbl 0634.20015)], see [\textit{E. Ghys} and \textit{P. de la Harpe}, Sur les groupes hyperboliques d'après Mikhael Gromov, Progr. Math. 83 (1990; Zbl 0731.20025); \textit{M. Coornaert}, \textit{T. Delzant} and \textit{A. Papadopoulos}, Géométrie et théorie des groupes. Les groupes hyperboliques de Gromov, Lect. Notes Math. 1441 (1990; Zbl 0727.20018)]. The many similar features of the end compactification of a graph and the hyperbolic compactification of a hyperbolic metric space were the main motivation for the work presented here. The purpose of this note is to describe an approach which unifies and also simplifies the above-mentioned results. We consider the general case of a metric space \(X\) and a group \(G\) of automorphisms (i.e., self-isometries) of \(X\). We assume that we have a compactification of \(X\) which is compatible with the action of \(G\). The principal purpose of this paper is to provide a simple condition concerning compactification and group action, which -- when satisfied -- allows us to deduce the following results: 1. A classification of the elements of \(G\) into elliptic, parabolic or hyperbolic according to their fixed points on the boundary of \(X\), 2. a description of the limit set of \(G\) on the boundary, and 3. an alternative between fixed sets under \(G\) and the presence of a free subgroup on two generators. The condition, which we call ``contractivity'', is hidden between the lines in papers of \textit{H. Furstenberg} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 108, 377-428 (1963; Zbl 0203.19102); Advances Probab. related Topics 1, 1-63 (1971; Zbl 0221.22008); Harmonic Analysis homog. Spaces, Proc. Sympos Pure Math. 26, 193-229 (1973; Zbl 0289.22011)] in connection with the study of random walks on homogeneous spaces. (In the latter paper, the word ``contractive'' is also used, but in a slightly different context.) Indeed, Furstenberg's method has been applied, with a direct use of contractivity in our sense, by \textit{D. I. Cartwright} and \textit{P. M. Soardi} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 107, No. 3, 817-823 (1989; Zbl 0682.60059)] and \textit{W. Woess} [Isr. J. Math. 68, No. 3, 271-301 (1989; Zbl 0723.60009)] to random walks on the automorphism groups of trees and vertex-transitive graphs, respectively. The usefulness of the approach proposed here should be seen in the simplicity, both in deducing the mentioned results and in verifying this property in typical cases. Contractivity bears an evident similarity (but is not identical) with the theory of convergence groups acting on \(\mathbb{R}^n\), introduced by \textit{F. W. Gehring} and \textit{G. J. Martin} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 55, 331-358 (1987; Zbl 0628.30027)] and carried further by \textit{G. J. Martin} and \textit{R. K. Skora} [Am. J. Math. 111, No. 3, 387-402 (1989; Zbl 0691.57020)] and others.