On the vertical similarly homogeneous \(\mathbb{R}\)-trees (Q2003064)

Let \(G\) be a group and let \(X_{+}(G)\) denote the set of all pairs \((\varphi, a)\) such that \(a \in (0, \infty)\) and \(\varphi : [0, a) \to G\) is constant on \([t, \varepsilon(t)]\) for every \(t \in [0, a)\) with some \(\varepsilon(t) \in (0, a-t)\) and satisfies \(\varphi(0) = e\), where \(e\) is the identity element of \(G\). The binary relation \(\nearrow\) on \(X_{+}(G)\), defined as \((\varphi, a) \nearrow (\psi, b)\) if and only if \(a \leqslant b\) and \(\psi|_{[0, a]} = \varphi\), is a partial order for which the infimum \(x \wedge y\) exists for all \(x\), \(y \in X_{+}(G)\). The function \(d_{\nearrow} : X_{+}(G) \times X_{+}(G) \to [0, \infty)\), satisfying \(d_{\nearrow}(x, y) = |a-b|\) if \(x = (\varphi, a)\) and \(y = (\psi, b)\) are comparable w.r.t. \(\nearrow\), and, otherwise \[ d_{\nearrow}(x, y) = d_{\nearrow}(x, x \wedge y) + d_{\nearrow}(x \wedge y, y), \] is a metric on \(X_{+}(G)\). The main result of the paper is a purerely metric characterization of spaces \((X_{+}(G), d_{\nearrow})\) as similarly homogeneous, non-homogeneous \(\mathbb{R}\)-trees with some restrictions on the bracing of these trees. Recall that \(\mathbb{R}\)-trees can be defined as uniquely geodesic metric spaces in which, for any three different points, the three shortest arcs joining the pairs of these points have a unique intersection point. Moreover, a metric space is called similarly homogeneous and non-homogeneous if its group of similarities is transitive but the group of its isometries is not transitive.