Arithmeticity vs. nonlinearity for irreducible lattices (Q2571717)

The main result of the paper is this: Let \(G_1\times\dots\times G_n\) for \(n\geq 2\) be a product of topologically simple, compactly generated, locally compact groups and \(\Gamma\subset G\) an irreducible lattice satisfying some mild assumptions which hold if \(\Gamma\) is co-compact. Then either \(G\) is linear algebraic and \(\Gamma\) is arithmetic or every homomorphism from \(\Gamma\) to a linear algebraic group over a field of characteristic \(\neq 2,3\) has finite image. The proof is based on earlier super-rigidity results by the author and follows the line of argumentation of Margulis' arithmeticity results.