The \(\ell^\infty\)-semi-norm on uniformly finite homology (Q1683666)

Let \(X\) be a uniformly discrete space of bounded geometry (UBDG space), e.g., a finitely generated group with its word metric. \textit{J. Block} and \textit{S. Weinberger} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 5, No. 4, 907--918 (1992; Zbl 0780.53031)] introduced uniformly finite homology \(H_*^{uf}(X;{\mathbb Z})\) to give a strengthening of the Følner condition for amenability: they proved that a UBDG space \(X\) is non-amenable if and only if \(H_0^{uf}(X;{\mathbb Z})=0\). Uniformly finite \(n\)-chains are by definition chains of the form \(\sum_{x\in X^{n+1}}c_x\cdot x\) with uniformly bounded coefficients \(c_x\) satisfying the condition that there exists a constant \(R\) with \(c_x=0\) whenever \(d(x_i,x_j)>R\) for at least one pair of components in \(x=(x_0,\ldots,x_{n+1})\). Uniformly finite homology is the homology of the complex of uniformly finite chains with the usual boundary operator. In particular, one has a ``fundamental class'' \(\left[X\right]\in H_0^{uf}(X;{\mathbb Z})\) represented by \(\sum_{x\in X} 1\cdot x\). \textit{K. Whyte} [Duke Math. J. 99, No. 1, 93--112 (1999; Zbl 1017.54017)] proved that a quasi-isometry \(f: X\to Y\) between UBDG spaces is at bounded distance from a bilipschitz-equivalence if and only if \(f_*\left[X\right]= \left[Y\right]\). In particular, this is always the case for non-amenable spaces. The paper under review studies the natural \(l^\infty\)-norm on uniformly finite homology. The main result is that the condition \(f_*\left[X\right]= \left[Y\right]\) is equivalent to demanding that \(f_*\) is an isometry for the \(l^\infty\)-norm on \(H_0^{uf}(X;{\mathbb Z})\). Moreover, the authors prove that a quasi-isometry at bounded distance from a bilipschitz-equivalence is also an isometry for the \(l^\infty\)-norm on \(H_k^{uf}(X;{\mathbb Z})\) for \(k>0\). So Whyte's theorem can be reformulated as saying that a quasi-isometry is close to a bilipschitz-equivalence if and only if it is an isometry for the \(l^\infty\)-norm on \(H_*^{uf}(X;{\mathbb Z})\). The authors find an example that having an isometry for the \(l^\infty\)-norm on \(H_*^{uf}(X;{\mathbb R})\) is not sufficient for this conclusion. On the other hand, the authors prove that for non-amenable spaces the \(l^\infty\)-norm always vanishes on the groups \(H_k^{uf}(X;{\mathbb Z})\) for \(k>0\). Moreover, for amenable groups one always has \(H_k^{uf}(G;{\mathbb Z})=0\), though this question remains open for amenable spaces in general.