Complex geometry of convex domains that cover varieties (Q910902)

Let \(\Omega\) be a convex Kobayashi hyperbolic domain in \({\mathbb{C}}^ n\) that is the universal cover of a compact complex manifold. The author proves that \(\Omega\) is biholomorphic to a bounded symmetric domain. Note that \(\Omega\) may be unbounded and have nondifferentiable boundary points; if \(\Omega\) is bounded with sufficiently smooth boundary, a well- known result of \textit{B. Wong} [Invent. Math. 41, 253-257 (1977; Zbl 0385.32016)] shows that \(\Omega\) must be biholomorphic to a ball. The author's proof proceeds by showing, under slightly weaker assumptions, that the identity component \(Aut_ 0(\Omega)\) of the holomorphic automorphism group is nontrivial. This is applied to factor \(\Omega\) into a product of a bounded symmetric domain and an appropriate convex domain of lower dimension. The factorization exploits the machinery of Lie groups and Einstein-Kähler metrics; an intermediate result has been generalized by \textit{A. M. Nadel} [Ann. Math. 132, 193-211 (1990)]. The author introduces a ``rescale blow-up'' technique to prove the nontriviality of \(Aut_ 0(\Omega)\). He takes \(a_ j\in \Omega\) and \(\gamma_ j\in Aut(\Omega)\) such that \(a_ j\) converges to a point of \(\Omega\) and \(\gamma_ j(a_ j)\) converges to a point of the boundary of \(\Omega\). Setting \[ w_ j(z)=[d\gamma_ j(a_ j)]^{-1}(\gamma_ j(z)-\gamma_ j(a_ j)), \] a normal families argument gives a subsequence converging to a biholomorphic map onto a convex domain \({\hat \Omega}\), which the author calls a rescale blow-up of \(\Omega\). If the points and automorphisms are chosen properly, \({\hat \Omega}\) will contain a real affine line and will be invariant under the associated flow. Explanations and other applications of the rescale blow-up technique have been published by the author [Recent developments in geometry, Proc. AMS Spec. Sess. Geom., Los Angeles/CA (USA) 1987, Contemp. Math. 101, 263-286 (1989; Zbl 0693.32017)] and \textit{K.-T. Kim} [Recent developments in geometry, Proc. AMS Spec. Sess. Geom., Los Angeles/CA (USA) 1987, Contemp. Math. 101, 249-262 (1989; Zbl 0691.32010) and Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 319, 139-153 (1990)].