Boundary conditions detecting product splittings of CAT(0) spaces (Q2180204)

Summary: Let \(X\) be a proper CAT(0) space and \(G\) a group of isometries of \(X\) acting cocompactly without fixed point at infinity. We prove that if \(\partial X\) contains an invariant subset of circumradius \(\pi/2\), then \(X\) contains a quasi-dense, closed convex subspace that splits as a product. Adding the assumption that the \(G\)-action on \(X\) is properly discontinuous, we give more conditions that are equivalent to a product splitting. In particular, this occurs if \(\partial X\) contains a proper nonempty, closed, invariant, \( \pi \)-convex set in \(\partial X\); or if some nonempty closed, invariant set in \(\partial X\) intersects every round sphere \(K \subset \partial X\) inside a proper subsphere of \(K\).