Shalom's property \(H_{\mathrm{FD}}\) and extensions by \(\mathbb{Z}\) of locally finite groups (Q2631879)

A group is locally finite (resp. locally normally finite) if any finite subset is included in a finite subgroup (resp. finite normal subgroup). Let \(G\) be a finitely generated group, and \(\pi\) be a unitary representation of \(G\) on a Hilbert space \(\mathcal{H}\). A function \(b: G\to \mathcal{H}\) is called a 1-cocycle if \(b(gh)=b(g)+\pi_gb(h)\) for all \(g,h\in G\), and 1-coboundary if there exists \(v\in \mathcal{H}\) such that \(b(g)=v-\pi_g(h)\) for \(g\in G\). Denote \(Z^1(G,\pi)\) the vector space of 1-cocycles and \(B^1(G,\pi)\) the subspace of 1-coboundaries. Let \(\overline{H}^1(G,\pi)=Z^1(G,\pi)/\overline{B^1(G,\pi)}\). A group has property \(H_{FD}\) (resp. \(H_F\), \(H_T\)) if any unitary representation \(\pi\) with \(\overline{H}^1(G,\pi)\neq \{0\}\) admits a subrepresentation which is finite dimensional (resp. finite, trivial). The authors have shown that every finitely generated extension by \(\mathbb{Z}\) of a locally normally finite group has \(H_{FD}\). The result is not true without the normality assumption. \textit{Y. Shalom} [Acta Math. 192, No. 2, 119--185 (2004; Zbl 1064.43004)] conjectured that for solvable groups, property \(H_{FD}\) would be equivalent to finite Hirsch length. Counterexamples to both directions have been constructed. Finally, it is shown that any countable locally finite group embeds into a two-generated amenable group with property \(H_{FD}\).