Isometry groups of proper CAT(0)-spaces of rank one. (Q454403)

Let \(X\) be a proper CAT(0) metric space. An isometry \(g\in\mathrm{Iso}(X)\) is called \textit{rank-one} if it has an axis which does not bound a flat half-plane. For example, if \(X\) is a hyperbolic space then any axial isometry of \(X\) is rank-one. The general notion of rank-one isometries goes back to an important paper by \textit{W. Ballmann} and \textit{M. Brin} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 82, 169-209 (1995; Zbl 0866.53029)]. The author shows that if \(G\) is a non-elementary closed subgroup of \(\mathrm{Iso}(X)\) that contains a rank-one element then, up to passing to an open subgroup of finite index, either \(G\) is a compact extension of a totally disconnected group or \(G\) is a compact extension of a simple Lie group of rank one. This theorem follows from a non-vanishing theorem for the second continuous bounded cohomology of \(G\) that extends a prior result of the author for isometry groups of proper hyperbolic metric spaces [Geom. Funct. Anal. 19, No. 1, 170-205 (2009; Zbl 1273.53037)]. The non-vanishing theorem also gives a superrigidity theorem for representations of irreducible lattices in higher rank semi-simple Lie groups into \(\mathrm{Iso}(X)\) as a corollary. These results are closely related to the previous work of N. Monod, Y. Shalom, I. Mineyev, M. Bestvina, K. Fujiwara, and P.-E. Caprace (see the bibliography and discussion in the paper).