A group-theoretic viewpoint on Erdös-Falconer problems and the Mattila integral (Q888920)

Summary: We obtain nontrivial exponents for Erdös-Falconer type point configuration problems. Let \(T_k(E)\) denote the set of distinct congruent \(k\)-dimensional simplices determined by \((k+1)\)-tuples of points from \(E\). For \(1 \leq k \leq d\), we prove that there exists a \(t_{k,d} < d\) such that, if \(E \subset {\mathbb R}^d\), \(d \geq 2\), with \(\dim_{{\mathcal H}}(E)>t_{k,d}\), then the \(\binom{k+1}{2}\)-dimensional Lebesgue measure of \(T_k(E)\) is positive. Results of this type were previously obtained for triangles in the plane \((k=d=2)\) in [the first and the second author, Anal. PDE 5, No. 2, 397--409 (2012; Zbl 1275.28003)] and for higher \(k\) and \(d\) in [\textit{L. Grafakos} et al., Forum Math. 27, No. 4, 2323--2360 (2015; Zbl 1317.44002)]. We improve upon those exponents, using a group action perspective, which also sheds light on the classical approach to the Falconer distance problem.