A joinings classification and a special case of Raghunathan's conjecture in positive characteristic (with an appendix by Kevin Wortman) (Q351362)

Let \(K\) be a global field, and \(\mathbb{G}\) be a connected, simply connected, almost simple group defined over \(K\). Let \(S\) be a finite set of places of \(K\). For \(\nu\in S\), denote \(G_\nu:=\mathbb{G}(K_\nu)\) and let \(G:=\prod_{\nu\in S} G_\nu\). Fix two irreducible arithmetic lattices \(\Gamma_1\) and \(\Gamma_2\) of \(G\), and let \(H:=G\times G\) and \(\mathbb{G}_1\) and \(\mathbb{G}_2\) be the associated \(K\)-groups, respectively, which give rise to the same \(G\). Let \(\Delta(G):= \{(g,g): g\in G\}\). For any automorphism \(\tau\) of \(G\), denote \(^\tau \Delta:=(1\times \tau) (\Delta)\). For \(i=1,2\), let \(X_i:=G/\Gamma_i\), and \(X:=X_1\times X_2\). Use the notation \(\pi_i\) for the projection onto the \(i\)-th factor of \(G\) or of \(X\). Let \(\nu\in S\) be an arbitrary place and \(\mathbb{U}_\nu\) be the unipotent radical of a fixed minimal parabolic subgroup \(\mathbb{P}_\nu\) of \(\mathbb{G}\) defined over \(K_v\). Denote \(U_v:=\mathbb{U}_\nu(K_\nu)\). A probability measure \(\mu\) on \(X\) is called joining for the \(U_\nu\)-actions on \(X_1\) and \(X_2\) if it is invariant under \((u,u)\) for all \(u\in U_\nu\) and is such that \((\pi_i)_*(\mu)\) gives the Haar measure on \(X_i\) for \(i=1,2\). The main result of the paper shows that if \(\mu\) is an ergodic joining, then either \(\mu\) is the Haar measure on \(X\) or \(\mu\) is the \(^\tau \Delta(G)\)-invariant measure on some closed orbit of \(^\tau \Delta(G)\) in \(X\), with \(\tau\) being the inner automorphism induced by a centralizer of \(U_\nu\). Moreover, in the latter case, \(\mu\) is the Haar measure of the closed orbit \((g_1, g_2)F_0\Gamma_1\times \Gamma_2\), where \((g_1, g_2)\in G\times G\) is any point of the support of \(\mu\), \(F_0=^{\tau_0}\Delta(G)\) consists of the \(K_S\)-points of a subgroup \(F_0\) of \(\mathbb{G}_1\times \mathbb{G}_2\) defined over \(K\), and \(\tau_0\) is some inner automorphism. This main theorem generalizes Ratner's joining classification [\textit{M. Ratner}, Ann. Math. (2) 118, 277--313 (1983; Zbl 0556.28020)] to the positive characteristic setting. Using the linearization technique, the authors also obtain a special case of Raghunathan's orbit closure classification. They prove that every orbit of \(\Delta(G)\) in \(G\times G / \Gamma_1\times \Gamma_2\) is either closed or dense. The paper contains an appendix written by K. Wortman who applies the results of the paper to characterize the quasi-isometries of higher-rank lattices in semisimple algebraic groups over fields of positive characteristic.