Poisson-Furstenberg boundary of random walks on wreath products and free metabelian groups. (Q620541)

The author studies the Poisson-Furstenberg boundary of random walks on the wreath product \(C\) of \(\mathbb Z^d\) and a finitely generated nontrival group. More precisely, let \(d\geq 5\) and \(\mu\) a probability measure on \(C\) with finite third moments such that \(\mathrm{supp\,}\mu\) generates \(C\). It is shown that then the Poisson boundary can be identified with the limit lamplighter configuration on \(\mathbb Z^d\). This result gives a partial answer to a problem of Kaimanovich and Vershik. A corresponding result is also given for free metabelian groups with \(d\geq 5\) generators where here also the Poisson-Furstenberg boundary is described completely. Finally, examples of slowly decaying measures on wreath products are given with non-standard boundaries.