Isometry types of profinite groups. (Q5961886)

For a rooted tree \(T\) the author studies closed subgroups of \(\text{Iso}(T)\), the group of isometries of \(T\). In particular, he studies closed subgroups \(G\) which only intersect countably many conjugacy classes (called `small'). This is related to \textit{L. Newelski}'s study of small profinite groups [J. Symb.\ Log.\ 66, No. 2, 859-872 (2001; Zbl 0993.03049)]. The main conjecture here is that such groups should be virtually Abelian; this is true in certain cases [\textit{F. O. Wagner}, Fundam.\ Math.\ 176, No. 2, 181-191 (2003; Zbl 1025.03027)]. In case \(G\) is nilpotent, the author shows that \(G\) has finite rank; if \(G\) is Abelian, this condition is sufficient to imply smallness. The author then studies subgroups of \(\text{GL}_n(\mathbb{Z}_p)\) definable in \(\mathbb{Q}_p\) and shows rationality of certain zeta-functions, based on a result of \textit{E. Hrushovski} and \textit{B. Martin} [Zeta functions from definable equivalence relations. \url{arXiv:math/0701011v1}], as well as smallness of \(\text{PGL}_2(\mathbb{Z}_p)\). In the last section branch groups are studied. They are not small; they are either \(\omega\)-categorical (in the language of \textit{Z. Chatzidakis} [Ill. J. Math. 42, No. 1, 70-96 (1998; Zbl 0906.03037)]) or very complicated.