Actions of arithmetic groups on homology spheres and acyclic homology manifolds (Q2636966)

The authors establish lower bounds for the dimension of acyclic manifolds and homology spheres on which arithmetic groups with torsion can act. The bounds rely on the existence of elementary \(p\)-torsion subgroups and are proved using Smith theory. In some cases, including \(Sp(2n, \mathbb{Z})\), the bounds obtained are sharp. The precise result in this case is the following: If \(X\) is a generalized \(\mathbb{Z}/3\)-homology sphere of dimension less than \(2n - 1\) or a \(\mathbb{Z}/3\)-acyclic \(\mathbb{Z}/3\)-homology manifold of dimension less than \(2n\) and if \(n \geq 3\), then any action of \(Sp(2n, \mathbb{Z})\) by homeomorphisms on \(X\) is trivial. If \(n = 2\), then every action of \(Sp(2n, \mathbb{Z})\) on \(X\) factors through the abelianization of \(Sp(4, \mathbb{Z})\), which is \(\mathbb{Z}/2\).