On the dimension drop conjecture for diagonal flows on the space of lattices (Q6039826)

In the setting of homogeneous dynamics, namely a quotient \(X=G/\Gamma\) of a Lie group \(G\) by a lattice \(\Gamma\), the following type of question was raised by Mirzakhani [private communication]. Given an unbounded set \(F\) and a non-empty open set \(U\) in \(X\), if the set of points in \(X\) whose trajectory under the action of \(F\) always (or eventually) avoids \(U\) has (Haar) measure zero, does it automatically have Hausdorff dimension strictly less than full? In the case of a uniform lattice this ``dimension drop'' conjecture is a consequence of the uniqueness of the measure of maximal entropy, and earlier work of the authors [Math. Z. 295, No. 3--4, 1355--1383 (2020; Zbl 1450.37004)] gives an explicit estimate for the codimension. Without this hypothesis the possibility of ``escape of mass'' makes the situation more complicated, but there are cases where the result still holds: If \(F\) consists of quasiunipotent elements or if \(G\) is a simple Lie group of real rank \(1\). Here the case of \(\mathrm{SL}_{m+n}(\mathbb{R})/\mathrm{SL}_{m+n}(\mathbb{Z})\) and the action of the rank \(2\) subgroup comprising matrices of the form \(\mathrm{diag} (\mathrm{e}^{nt},\dots,\mathrm{e}^{nt}, \mathrm{e}^{-mt},\dots,\mathrm{e}^{-mt})\) for \(t\geqslant0\) is studied and the dimension drop phenomenon shown. The approach used of height functions on the space of lattices is capable of wide generalization and further instances of the dimension drop conjecture are forthcoming.