Isometry group of Lorentz manifolds: a coarse perspective (Q2126276)

The author discusses the limit set associated to a coarse embedding into \(\mathbb{H}^n\), and the related limit set for the isometry group \({\text{Iso}}(M,g)\) and an assumption for a compactly generated subgroup of exponential growth that forces this limit set to be infinite are considered. Next, The author proves that the growth assumption he made on a subgroup of \({\text{Iso}}(M,g)\), implies exponential growth of derivatives for the action of \({\text{Iso}}(M,g)\). Applying Gromov's theory of rigid geometric structures, one establishes a link between the limit set of the isometry group on the one hand, and local Killing fields on the manifold \((M,g)\) on the other hand. The general picture is that when \({\text{Iso}}(M,g)\) has a big (infinite) limit set, then the manifold \((M,g)\) must have a lot of local Killing fields. Further, a compact Lorentz submanifold \(\Sigma\subset M\), which is locally homogeneous (with semisimple isotropy) and left-invariant by a finite index subgroup \({\text{Iso}}(M,g)\subset{\text{Iso}}(M,g)\) are explained. The author explains all compact Lorentz manifolds, which are locally homogeneous with semisimple isotropy, and have an isometry group of exponential growth point by point. He proves a completeness theorem for this class of manifolds, akin to the one obtained by \textit{Y. Carrière} [Invent. Math. 95, No. 3, 615--628 (1989; Zbl 0682.53051)] and \textit{B. Klingler} [Math. Ann. 306, No. 2, 353--370 (1996; Zbl 0862.53048)] for compact Lorentz manifolds of constant sectional curvature.