scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1182440
The class \(AG\) of discrete amenable groups is characterized in the following way: Whenever the group acts affinely on a compact convex subset of a locally convex topology vector space then there exists a fixed point. The author of the article is interested in the similar problem for which the convex set is replaced by a cone. In a cone \(K\) a ray is a halfline \(L_x= \{\lambda x:\lambda\geq 0\}\); \(K\) is said to admit a compact base if there exists a continuous linear functional \(\Phi\) on the vector space such that \(\Phi(x)> 0\) whenever \(x\in K\), \(x\neq 0\) and the base \(B= \{x\in K:\Phi(x)= 1\}\) is compact. After \textit{H. Furstenberg} [Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 71, 271-326 (1965; Zbl 0178.16901)] the class \(TC\) of Tychonoff groups consists of the groups \(G\) such that for any affine \(G\)-transformation on a convex cone with compact base in a locally convex topological vector space there exists a \(G\)-invariant ray. The finite or cyclic groups belong to \(TG\). The inclusion \(TG\subset AG\) is established; the amenable group \(\langle a,b: a^2= b^2= e\rangle\) does not belong to \(TG\). The class \(TG\) is stable for direct products; hence commutative groups are in \(TG\). A group \(G\) is called \(ZA\)-group if it admits an increasing transfinite central chain of normal subgroups \(1\subset G_1\subset\cdots\subset G_\gamma= G\) such that for any \(\alpha<\gamma\), \(G_{\alpha+1}/G_\alpha\) is in the center of \(G/G_\alpha\). After \textit{G. Margulis} [Sov. Math., Dokl. 7, 241-244 (1966); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 166, 1054-1057 (1966; Zbl 0187.38902)] the group \(G\) is said to admit the Margulis property if for any generating probability distribution \(p\) on \(G\) and any \(\mu>0\) every positive function \(f\) that is \(\mu\)-harmonic, i.e., \(\sum_{h\in G} p(h)f(gh)= \mu f(g)\), is constant on cosets of the commutator subgroup. Any countable \(ZA\)-group is shown to have that property. It follows that every nilpotent group is in \(TG\). -- Supplementary properties are examined. Among the list of open questions is the problem whether any Tychonoff group belongs to the class of elementary groups. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0991.00031].
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