Bieberbach groups with multiplicity-free rational holonomy representation (Q4454856)

By flat manifold we understand a compact Riemannian manifold without boundary with sectional curvature equal to zero. A continuous self-map \(f\) of a manifold \(M\) is homotopically periodic if and only if \(f^k\) is homotopic to the identity for some \(k\in \mathbb{N}\). Moreover an affine diffeomorphism \(f\) of flat manifold \(\mathbb{R}^n/\Gamma\) is virtually unipotent if and only if there is a lifting \((r_f,\alpha_f)\in \text{Aff}(\mathbb{R}^n)\) of \(f\) such that \(\alpha_f\) is virtually unipotent. A linear map \(\alpha_f\) is virtually unipotent if and only if all its eigenvalues are roots of unity. Hence, a continuous self-map \(f\) of a flat Riemannian manifold \(M\) is called virtually unipotent if and only if \(f\) is homotopic to a virtually unipotent affine diffeomorphism of \(M\). Obviously, each homotopically periodic map is virtually unipotent but in general not each virtually unipotent map is homotopical periodic. With each flat manifold \(\mathbb{R}^n/\Gamma\) we can associate the Bieberbach group \(\Gamma\) which defines an extension \(0\to \mathbb{Z}^n\to\Gamma\to F\to 0\). It defines, by conjugation, the holonomy representation \(T: F\to \text{GL}(n, \mathbb{Z})\). The author proves the following result. For a flat manifold \(M\) with the above holonomy representation each virtually unipotent map of \(M\) is homotopical periodic if and only if \(T\) is multiplicity-free over \(\mathbb{Q}\). An application to Anosov diffeomorphisms is also given. There is proved that in dimension at most 6, there are no flat manifolds with multiplicity-free rational holonomy representation admitting an Anosov diffeomorphism. The results are ilustrated by many examples.