\(L^{2}\)-invariants of nonuniform lattices in semisimple Lie groups (Q740548)

The \(L^2\)-invariants in the title refer to \(L^2\)-Betti numbers, Novikov-Shubin invariants and \(L^2\)-torsion. For uniform lattices in semisimple Lie groups \(G\) these invariants had been computed by \textit{M. Olbrich} [Doc. Math., J. DMV 7, 219--237 (2002; Zbl 1029.58019)] building on previous work by Hess-Schick, Lott and Borel. The paper under review computes \(L^2\)-invariants for some nonuniform lattices. It follows from \textit{J. Cheeger} and \textit{M. Gromov} [J. Differ. Geom. 21, 1--34 (1985; Zbl 0614.53034)] that the only possibly nonvanishing \(L^2\)-Betti number is in the middle dimension (of the associated locally symmetric space). The paper under review gives an upper bound for the Novikov-Shubin invariants in the middle dimension for \(Q\)-rank 1 lattices satisfying a certain deficiency condition. Moreover it proves that the \(L^2\)-torsion vanishes for lattices in semisimple groups of positive, even deficiency. Among the consequences is a proof of the Zero-in-the-spectrum conjecture for arithmetic, locally symmetric manifolds of \(Q\)-rank 1. This means, that there is some \(p\) such that \(0\) is in the spectrum of the minimal closure of the Laplacian acting on \(p\)-forms of the universal covering. The paper heavily uses the Borel-Serre compactification of locally symmetric spaces and therefore contains a very detailed exposition of its properties.