Polynomial growth, comparison, and the small boundary property (Q2161288)

The paper is motivated by the question which crossed product \(C^\ast\)-algebras arising from topological dynamical systems are classifed by their Elliott invariant. This is true, for instance, for certain classes of \(\mathcal{Z}\)-stable \(C^\ast\)-algebras. Kerr introduced the notion of almost finiteness for free actions of amenable groups on compact metrizable spaces, and showed that for minimal actions this implies \(\mathcal{Z}\)-stability of the crossed product. Almost finiteness, in its turn, is equivalent to the action having the small boundary property and comparison, by the result of Kerr and Szabo. The paper under review shows that minimal actions of finitely generated groups of polynomial growth (which are virtually nilpotent groups by the result of Gromov) on compact metrizable spaces have comparison. A consequence of this is that, under additional conditions of an action being free and having the small boundary property, their crossed products are \(\mathcal{Z}\)-stable and so classified by their Elliot invariant.