Irreducible lattices, invariant means, and commensurating actions (Q2512953)

Given a topological group \(G\) and a continuous discrete \(G\)-set \(X,\) a subset \(M\) of \(X\) is commensurated by the \(G\)-action if \(\#(M \Delta gM) < \infty\) for all \(g \in G,\) where \(\Delta\) denotes the symmetric difference. A locally compact group \(G\) is said to have Property FW if for every continuous discrete \(G\)-set \(X,\) every commensurated subset \(M\) of \(X\) is transfixed, i.e. there exists a \(G\)-invariant subset \(N\) such that \(\#(M \Delta N) < \infty.\) Further, a locally compact group \(G\) is said to have Property FM if for every continuous discrete \(G\)-set \(X\) with \(G\)-invariant mean on all subsets of \(X,\) there exists a finite \(G\)-orbit. The paper under review is motivated by the following conjectures: { Conjecture 1.9.} Let \(S\) be a semisimple connected Lie group with at least two simple factors and no compact factor. Then every irreducible lattice \(\Gamma\) in \(S\) has property FW. { Conjecture 1.10.} Let \(S\) be a semisimple connected Lie group with at least two simple factors and no compact factor. Then every irreducible lattice \(\Gamma\) in \(S\) has property FM. The main results include the following: { Theorem 1.11.} If \(\Gamma\) is as in Conjecture 1.9 and \(X\) is a \(\Gamma\)-set with a commensurated subset not commensurate to any invariant subset, then \(X\) has an invariant mean. In particular, Conjecture 1.10 for \(\Gamma\) implies Conjecture 1.9 for \(\Gamma.\) { Theorem 1.12.} If \(S\) has at least one simple factor with Property \(T,\) i.e. with the property that every its continuous unitary representation with almost invariant vectors admits non-zero invariant vectors, then it satisfies both conjectures. { Theorem 1.13.} Let \(G = G_{1} \cdots G_{n}\) be a semisimple group of algebraic type, with \(n\geq 2.\) Let \(\Gamma\) be an irreducible lattice, in the sense that \(G_{i} \Gamma\) is dense in \(G\) for all \(i.\) Suppose that at least one of the \(G_{i}\) has Property \(T.\) Then {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize} \item{}\(\bullet\) \(\Gamma\) has Property FM, and \item {}\(\bullet\) if moreover none of the \(G_{i}\) is non-Archimedean of \(K_{i}\)-rank \(1,\) then \(\Gamma\) has Property FW. \end{itemize}} The author considers weakenings \(\mathrm{FW}^{\prime}\) and \(\mathrm{FM}^{\prime}\) of properties FW and FM, obtained by using the same definition but restricting to transitive actions. It is proved: { Theorem 1.17.} The group \(\mathrm{SL}_{n}(\mathbb{Q})\) for \(n \geq 3\) has Properties \(\mathrm{FW}^{\prime}\) and \(\mathrm{FM}^{\prime}\) (but not Properties FW and FM). The paper contains also a list of unsolved questions.