On the stability of the behavior of random walks on groups (Q6205147)
From MaRDI portal
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1186416
Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
---|---|---|---|
English | On the stability of the behavior of random walks on groups |
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1186416 |
Statements
On the stability of the behavior of random walks on groups (English)
0 references
23 September 1998
0 references
The study of the geometry of manifolds at infinity is a well established subject. In this context, it is often useful to attach to a manifold certain discrete graph structures which capture the large scale geometry of the manifold. The key notion in this pairing is that of quasi-isometry or rough isometry. The most natural and important example is provided by the fundamental group of a compact Riemannian manifold which represents well the geometry at infinity of the universal cover. Any Cayley graph of the fundamental group is quasi-isometric to the universal cover. A number of important notions are known to be invariant by quasi-isometries between manifolds of bounded geometry and uniformly locally finite graphs. For instance, volume growth is invariant under quasi-isometry and the same is true for the isoperimetric profile. Given a Cayley graph \((G,S)\) where \(G\) is a group and \(S\) a finite symmetric set of generators, consider the simple random walk on \((G,S)\). Consider the probability \(\phi_{G,S}(n)\) that, starting at the identity at time 0, the walker finds itself back at the identity at time \(2n\). The aim of this paper is to prove the following result: If the Cayley graphs \((G,S)\) and \((H,T)\) are quasi-isometric, then there exist two constants \(C,c>0\) such that, for all \(n\), \[ c\phi_{G,S}(Cn)\leq \phi_{H,T}(n)\leq C\phi_{G,S}(cn). \] We also prove a similar result for Riemannian coverings of compact manifolds and their deck transformation group. In this context, we show that the long time behavior of the heat kernel on the covering is the same as the behavior of \(\phi_G\) where \(G\) is the deck transformation group. These results are not surprising. In particular, they are in line with the work of \textit{N. Varopoulos} (see e.g., Varopoulos' paper [Proc. Int. Congr. Math., Kyoto 1990, Vol. II, 951-957 (1991; Zbl 0744.34006)]). However, they had not yet been proved in this generality. Some assorted applications are presented.
0 references
quasi-isometry
0 references
random walk
0 references
heat kernel
0 references
Cayley graphs
0 references
compact manifolds
0 references
0 references