Envelopes of certain solvable groups. (Q2339709)

Summary: A discrete subgroup \(\Gamma\) of a locally compact group \(H\) is called a \textit{uniform lattice} if the quotient \(H/\Gamma\) is compact. Such an \(H\) is called an \textit{envelope} of \(\Gamma\). In this paper we study the problem of classifying envelopes of various solvable groups including the solvable Baumslag-Solitar groups, lamplighter groups and certain abelian-by-cyclic groups. Our techniques are geometric and quasi-isometric in nature. In particular we show that for every \(\Gamma\) we consider there is a finite family of preferred \textit{model spaces} \(X\) such that, up to compact groups, \(H\) is a cocompact subgroup of \(\mathrm{Isom}(X)\). We also answer problem 10.4 of \textit{B. Farb} and \textit{L. Mosher} [Acta Math. 184, No. 2, 145-202 (2000; Zbl 0982.20026)] for a large class of abelian-by-cyclic groups.