Compact group automorphisms, addition formulas and Fuglede-Kadison determinants (Q447931)

Dynamical systems of algebraic origin give the simplest and most homogeneous examples, and as a result it is useful to be able to compute dynamical invariants in this setting explicitly. The topological entropy of automorphisms of compact groups was computed by \textit{S. A. Yuzvinskii} [Sib. Math. J. 8, 172--178 (1967); translation from Sib. Mat. Zh. 8, 230--239 (1967; Zbl 0211.34901)], and this was later extended to an expression for the entropy of a \(\mathbb Z^d\)-action by automorphisms of a compact group in terms of the Mahler measure of associated polynomials in work of \textit{D. Lind, K. Schmidt} and the reviewer [Invent. Math. 101, No. 3, 593--629 (1990; Zbl 0774.22002)]. Dealing with a non-abelian compact group presents no serious obstacles, but extending this result from actions of \(\mathbb Z^d\) to actions of other amenable groups presents formidable difficulties. A key breakthrough was made by \textit{C. Deninger} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 19, No. 3, 737--758 (2006; Zbl 1104.22010)], who showed that the Fuglede-Kadison determinant [\textit{B. Fuglede} and \textit{R. V. Kadison}, Ann. Math. (2) 55, 520--530 (1952; Zbl 0046.33604)] could be used to express the entropy of certain algebraic actions of amenable groups. This was generalized by \textit{C. Deninger} and \textit{K. Schmidt} [Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 27, No. 3, 769--786 (2007; Zbl 1128.22003)], but in all cases the results required conditions (coming from properties of the defining polynomial in the associated von Neumann algebra) on the action which were restrictive and opaque. Here a new approach is found, building on work of \textit{L. Bowen} [Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 31, No. 3, 703--718 (2011; Zbl 1234.37010)], and giving a complete result in the most natural case. To state this, let \(G\) be a countable amenable group and fix \(f\) in the integral group ring \(\mathbb Z G\) of \(G\). Then the entropy of the natural shift \(G\)-action on the character group of the quotient of \(\mathbb Z G\) by the left ideal generated by \(f\) is equal to the logarithm of the Fuglede-Kadison determinant of \(f\). This is a significant step towards an understanding of the dynamics of these basic building blocks of algebraic actions of amenable group actions.