Superrigidity, measure equivalence, and weak Pinsker entropy (Q2141712)

Motivated by the case of two lattices in the same locally compact second countable group, \textit{M. Gromov} introduced the following definition in [Geometric group theory. Volume 2: Asymptotic invariants of infinite groups. Proceedings of the symposium held at the Sussex University, Brighton, July 14-19, 1991. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1993; Zbl 0841.20039)]. Countable discrete groups \(G,H\) are called measure equivalent if there are commuting essentially free measure-preserving actions of \(G\) and \(H\) on a non-trivial standard \(\sigma\)-finite measure space each of which admits a measurable fundamental domain with finite measure. Equivalently, \(G\) and \(H\) are measure equivalent if and only if there exist probability measure-preserving actions of \(G\) and \(H\) whose translation groupoids are reduction equivalent. The main result here is that the class of discrete groups satisfying the conclusion of \textit{S. Popa}'s cocycle superrigidity theorem (see [Invent. Math. 170, No. 2, 243--295 (2007; Zbl 1131.46040)]) is invariant under measure equivalence, and that this generalizes to the setting of discrete probability measure-preserving groupoids. This is used to show that any non-amenable lattice in a product of two non-compact, locally compact second countable groups satisfies Popa's conclusion. An invariant of measure conjugacy called the weak Pinsker entropy is introduced, and shown to be an orbit-equivalence invariant of every essentially free probability measure-preserving action of any group satisfying the conclusion of Popa's theorem.