Minimal entropy rigidity for foliations of compact spaces (Q701367)

Let \((X,g_0)\) be a compact negatively curved locally symmetric space of dimension \(n\geq 3\), and \(g\) any negatively curved metric on a compact space \(Y\) homotopy equivalent to \(X\). Let \(\widetilde Y\) be the universal cover of \(Y\), and \(B(y,R)\) the geodesic ball of radius \(R\) about \(y\in \widetilde Y\). Consider the volume growth entropy \[ h(g)= \limsup_{R\to\infty} \log(\text{Vol} B(y,R))= \liminf_{R\to \infty} \log(\text{Vol} B(y,R)). \] It is well-known that \[ h(g_0)^n \text{Vol}(X,dg_0)\leq h(g)^n\text{Vol} (Y, dg), \] where equality is achieved iff \(g\) is homothetic to \(g_0\) [\textit{G. Bessou}, \textit{G. Courtois} and \textit{S. Gallot}, Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 16, 623-649 (1996; Zbl 0887.58030)]. The authors give a foliated version of this theorem. Let \(f:L\to X\) be a homeomorphism from \(L\) (Patterson-Sullivan manifold) to a negatively curved manifold \(X\) and suppose that some lift \(\widetilde f:\widetilde L\to\widetilde X\) is a quasi-isometry (this is true for \(L=\) a leaf). Then there is a natural map \(\widetilde F:\widetilde L\to\widetilde X\) which descends to the quotients. The authors prove the following Theorem 1: ``The map \(\widetilde F\) is a proper surjection''. They also prove the following main Theorem 2: ``Let \((N, {\mathcal F}_N)\) be a continuous foliation of the compact manifold \(N\) such that \(\nu\)-almost every leaf is a Patterson-Sullivan manifold. Suppose that \(f: (N,{\mathcal F}_N) \to(M,{\mathcal F}_M)\) is a foliation-preserving homeomorphism leafwise \(C^1\) with transversally continuous leafwise derivative, and that \(f_* \nu\)-almost every leaf of \((M,{\mathcal F}_M)\) is a rank one locally symmetric space. Then there exists a finite measure \(\mu_M\) on \(M\) which is locally the product of \(dg_0\) with a transverse quasi-invariant measure \(\nu_0\) such that \(\int_Mh(g_0)^n d\mu_M\leq \int_Nh(g_L)^nd\mu_N\) and equality holds iff \(\nu\)-almost every leaf \((L,g_L)\) is homothetic to its image \((f(L), g_0)\).'' Some applications of this theorem including a foliated version of Mostow's rigidity theorem, are considered. The authors give examples of classes of foliations \((N,{\mathcal F}_N)\) where almost every leaf is a Patterson-Sullivan manifold.