Function theory, random paths and covering spaces (Q760074)

This paper considers the function theoretic properties of a manifold which can be realised as a regular covering surface of some smaller (perhaps compact) manifold in terms of the associated covering group. The paper also considers the general problem of transience for Brownian motion on a Riemannian manifold and gives a criteria for recurrence. One part extends an old idea of Furstenberg showing how every positive harmonic function on a complete Riemannian manifold is completely determined by its values at a certain prescribed countable sequence of points. In particular for every point y on the manifold there is a probability measure \(\nu\) (y) on the countable sequence which when integrated against the positive harmonic function gives its value at y. A typical example of results concerning covering manifolds is the following: Any nilpotent cover of a compact manifold fails to admit not constant positive harmonic functions. The criteria for recurrence is that the manifold M does not admit a vector field which is in \(L^ 2\) and whose div is integrable with non-zero integral.