A weak Zassenhaus Lemma for discrete subgroups of Diff\((I)\) (Q395756)

Let \(I=[0,1]\) and let \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\) be the group of orientation-preserving diffeomorphisms of \(I\). For any real number \(c>0\), let \(\mathrm{Diff}_+^{1+c}(I)\) be the group of orientation-preserving diffeomorphisms of regularity \(1+c\). The metric considered on \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\) is the one induced by the standard norm of the Banach space \(C^1(I)\). Moreover, the metric \(d_0\) on \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\) is the one induced by the sup norm of \(C(I)\). A subgroup \(\Gamma\) of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\) is said to be \(C_0\)-discrete if it is discrete in \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\) endowed with the metric \(d_0\). Moreover, \(\Gamma\) is strongly discrete (respectively, \(C_0\)-strongly discrete) if there exist \(C>0\) and \(x_0\in (0,1)\) such that \(|g'(x_0)-1|>C\) (respectively, \(|g(x_0)-x_0|>C\)) for every \(g\in\Gamma\setminus\{1\}\). The Zassenhaus Lemma states that for a connected Lie group \(H\) there exists an open non-empty neighborhood \(U\) of the identity of \(H\) such that if \(\Gamma\) is a discrete subgroup of \(H\) generated by elements of \(U\) then \(\Gamma\) is nilpotent [\textit{M. S. Raghunathan}, Math. Stud. 2007, 59--70 (2007; Zbl 1193.22011)]. \smallskip In this paper, the following weaker versions of the Zassenhaus Lemma for subgroups of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\) are proved. There exists an open non-empty neighborhood \(U\) of the identity of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+^1(I)\) such that if \(\Gamma\) is a finitely generated \(C_0\)-strongly discrete subgroup of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+^1(I)\) (or, a finitely generated strongly discrete subgroup of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+^2(I)\)) and \(\Gamma\) has uniform exponential growth, then \(\Gamma\) cannot be generated by elements of \(U\). \smallskip Furthermore, a direct proof is given of the fact that the non-abelian free group \(\mathbb F_2\) does not admit a faithful \(C_0\)-discrete representation in \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\). A more general result of this paper says that if \(\Gamma\) is a subgroup of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+(I)\) such that the commutator \([\Gamma,\Gamma]\) contains a non-abelian free subsemigroup, then \(\Gamma\) is not \(C_0\)-discrete. As consequences of the latter theorem and of results in [\textit{A. Navas}, Geom. Funct. Anal. 18, No. 3, 988--1028 (2008; Zbl 1201.37060)], the author obtains that a \(C_0\)-discrete subgroup of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+^2(I)\) is metabelian, and also that a \(C_0\)-discrete subgroup of \(\mathrm{Diff}_+^{1+c}(I)\) is solvable for any real number \(c\).