A quantitative bounded distance theorem and a Margulis' lemma for \(\mathbb{Z}^n\)-actions, with applications to homology (Q515280)

A geodesic space \((X,d)\) with a \({\mathbb{Z}}^n\)-periodic metric (with respect to a discrete torsionless abelian group of isometries \(\Gamma\)) and with the associated stable norm \(\|.\|_{\mathrm{st}}\) is considered. It is well known that, for the cocompact action of \(\Gamma\), the space \((X,d)\) is almost isometric to \(({\mathbb{Z}}^n,\|.\|_{\mathrm{st}})\) (the difference of these norms can be bounded by a constant). In the present paper, a generalization of this situation to abelian actions is formulated as a quantitative bounded distance theorem (QBD theorem). The constant mentioned above now depends on the geometric invariants of \(X\) and the dependence on these parameters is essential in general. As a technical tool, an alternative of the Margulis lemma for the abelian actions is established. As an application, the QBD theorem is used for bounding the number of connected components of an optimal cycle \(\gamma\in H_1(\bar X,{\mathbb{Z}})\) on a closed Riemannian manifold.