Trees, contraction groups, and Moufang sets. (Q383717)

The authors consider closed subgroups \(G\) of the automorphism group of a locally finite tree \(T\) that act doubly transitively on the set \(\partial T\) of ends of \(T\). If the stabilizer of some end is metabelian, then \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(k)\leq G\leq\mathrm{PGL}_2(k)\) for some local field \(k\). Moreover, the contraction group of some hyperbolic element of \(G\) is closed and torsion-free if, and only if, \(G\) is virtually a rank 1 simple \(p\)-adic analytic group for some prime \(p\). -- The proofs of these results are based on a strong relation between Moufang sets (in the sense of \textit{J. Tits} [Twin buildings and groups of Kac Moody type, in Proc. Durham 1990, Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 165, 249-286 (1992; Zbl 0851.22023)]) and groups \(G\) that are transitive on \(\partial T\). In an appendix, all \((n+1)\)-transitive groups with solvable stabilizers of derived length at most \(n\) are classified. The case \(n=1\), which leads to affine groups over fields, is due to \textit{J. Tits} [Comment. Math. Helv. 26, 203-224 (1952; Zbl 0047.26002), 2.3]; see also \textit{J. L. Zemmer} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 12, 644-650 (1961; Zbl 0108.25402)] and \textit{R. Schnabel} [Arch. Math. 39, 119-120 (1982; Zbl 0499.20002)].