Asymptotic cones of Lie groups and cone equivalences (Q1928904)

Starting from a metric space \((X,d)\), one can define an \textit{asymptotic cone} as limit of the metric spaces \((X, \frac{1}{t}d)\) for \(t\to\infty\). To develop this concept for arbitrary metric spaces, it is necessary to consider ultralimits using ultrafilters. Part of the paper deals with the introduction and formal definition of this concept. In this context, \textit{cone Lipschitz} and \textit{cone bi-Lipschitz maps} are defined and investigated. This ends up with the definition of \textit{bi-Lipschitz equivalences} between metric spaces, which, in fact, induces a bi-Lipschitz homeomorphism between asymptotic cones. Bi-Lipschitz equivalence is more general than quasi-isometry, but seems to fit better to the analyzing of Lie groups. In particular, using older results on this topic, it is shown that every connected Lie group \(G\) is cone bi-Lipschitz equivalent to solvable Lie groups which can be written as semidirect product of a subgroup called \textit{exponential radical} \(R\) (which means that \(G/R\) is the largest nilpotent quotient) and a nilpotent subgroup (isomorphic to this quotient). In an appendix, asymptotic cones of nilpotent groups are described in detail.