Decay of concentration functions for adapted probabilities on discrete groups (Q1770910)

Given a probability measure \(\mu\) on a locally compact group \(G\), one defines the concentration functions to be \(f_n(K)= \sup_{g\in G}\,\mu^{(n)}(Kg)\) where \(K\) is a compact subset of \(G\) and \(\mu^{(n)}\) is the \(n\)th convolution power of \(\mu\). The work of \textit{W. Jaworski} [J. Theor. Probab. 10, No. 4, 967--989 (1997; Zbl 0897.60009)] completed the work of \textit{W. Jaworski}, \textit{J. Rosenblatt} and \textit{G. Willis} [Math. Ann. 305, No. 4, 673--691 (1996; Zbl 0854.43001)] to find necessary and sufficient conditions for the concentration functions to converge to zero. These conditions depend only on the support of \(\mu\), which will be denoted by \(S\) throughout. One says that \(\mu\) is adapted if the smallest closed subgroup containig \(S\) is \(G\). The rate of convergence of the concentration functions under various support conditions has been investigated by a number of authors, including \textit{P. Bougerol} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. A 283, 527--529 (1976; Zbl 0368.60010) and in: Probability measures on groups. Lect. Notes Math. 706, 36--40 (1979; Zbl 0404.60019)], \textit{N. Th. Varopoulos}, \textit{L. Saloff-Coste} and \textit{T. Coulhon} [``Analysis on Lie groups'' (1992; Zbl 0813.22003)] and \textit{T. Retzlaff} [J. Theor. Probab. 16, No. 2, 391--399 (2003; Zbl 1038.60006)]. In this note the rate of this convergence when \(\mu\) is adapted on a discrete group \(G\) is shown to depend on the volume growth rate \(N_\mu\), the smallest normal subgroup a coset of which contains the support of \(\mu\). The references contain 10 bibliographical hints.