A Banach space-valued ergodic theorem and the uniform approximation of the integrated density of states (Q649016)

Bounded operators on infinite graphs are considered. A geometric setting is provided by Cayley graphs of amenable groups. The almost-additive functions mapping finite subsets of the graph into a fixed Banach space are given in terms of a colouring of the vertices. A Banach-space valued ergodic theorem is derived for certain properties of the group and for specific frequencies of the patterns occurring in the colouring. The result is applied to the study of the integrated density of states (IDS) of equivariant Hamilton operators on graphs. It is shown that the IDS can be approximated by normalized eigenvalue counting functions (associated to finite volume restrictions of the operator) uniformly in the energy variable. The definitions of a colouring graph, of a pattern and a frequency of a pattern are given. The IDS, or spectral distribution function, is obtained as the uniform limit of approximants associated to finite matrices. Applications to a variety of group structures and colouring types, in particular to periodic operators and percolation-type Hamiltonians are presented. Some open questions, like the geometric requirements on the group or the consideration of other types of operators are also discussed.