Sub-additive ergodic theorems for countable amenable groups (Q2253141)

Kingman's sub-additive ergodic theorem says that for a measure-preserving transformation \(T\) on a Lebesgue probability space \((Y, {\mathcal D}, \nu)\), and \(\{ f_n:n\in {\mathbb N}\} \subseteq L^1(Y,{\mathcal D},\nu)\) satisfying \[ f_{n+m}(y) \leq f_n(y)+f_m(T^my), \text{ for }\nu\text{-a.e. } y\in Y,\quad n,m \in {\mathbb N}, \] we have \[ \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{1}{n} f_n(y)=f(y) \geq -\infty; \text{ for }\nu\text{-a.e. } y\in Y, \] where \(f\) is a \(T\)-invariant measurable function over \((Y, {\mathcal D}, \nu)\). This theorem has many applications in measurable and differentiable dynamics. For example it can be used to prove the multiplicative ergodic theorem of Oseledec. If the \(f_n=a_n\) are constant functions, the theorem reduces to a well-known theorem in analysis. The purpose of this paper is to extend Kingman's theorem to a large class of infinite countable discrete amenable group actions. It is suggested that the established theorems will give rise to further developments along the lines of Oseledec's theorem and other applications.