A measurable-group-theoretic solution to von Neumann's problem (Q834798)

The authors investigate non-amenability of groups in the context of measurable group theory and give (in Theorems 1 and 2) a positive answer to von Neumann's problem of whether a non-amenable countable discrete group contains a non-cyclic free subgroup. These theorems on non-amenability have an operator algebra counterpart and the authors of the paper under review get as Corollaries 3 and 4 an embedding result of the free group von Neumann factor into restricted wreath product factors. A countable discrete group \(G\) is called amenable if it has an invariant mean or equivalently if it has a left invariant finitely additive measure \(\mu, \mu(G) = 1\). The amenability of groups was introduced by \textit{J. von Neumann} [Fundam. Math. 13, 73--116 (1929; JFM 55.0151.01)] (he called such groups ``measurable'') to explain results of the paper by \textit{S. Banach} and \textit{A. Tarski} (the so-called Banach-Tarski paradox) [Fundam. Math. 6, 244--277 (1924; JFM 50.0370.02)]. There are at least twelve equivalent definitions of amenability. Von Neumann proved that a group is not amenable provided it contains a free subgroup \({\mathbf F}_{2}\) on two generators. First counterexamples to the von Neumann problem were constructed by \textit{A. Ol'shanskii} [Usp. Mat. Nauk 35, No. 4(214), 199--200 (1980; Zbl 0452.20032); Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 44, 309--321 (1980; Zbl 0475.20025)] (the so called ``Tarski monsters''). He proved that the groups with all proper subgroups cyclic constructed by him, both torsion-free and torsion, are not amenable. A finitely presented non-amenable group without free non-cyclic subgroups has been constructed by \textit{A. Ol'shanskii} and \textit{M. Sapir} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 96, 43--169 (2002; Zbl 1050.20019)]. A geometric version of the von Neumann problem is a consequence of results by \textit{K. Whyte} [Duke Math. J. 99, No. 1, 93--112 (1999; Zbl 1017.54017)]. The techniques of the paper under review essentially involve constructions and results by the authors [\textit{D. Gaboriau}, Geom. Funct. Anal. 15, No. 5, 1004--1051 (2005; Zbl 1099.60070); \textit{R. Lyons} and \textit{O. Schramm}, Ann. Probab. 27, No. 4, 1809--1836 (1999; Zbl 0960.60013)]. The method of proof uses the authors' results on treeable relations and cost graphing. Notice that some of the results used in proving the theorems and corollaries are of independent interest. The paper closes with an interesting open problem.