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1 vote
1 answer
115 views

Block-diagonal embedding of $U(n)$ into $U(mn)$

What is known about the subgroup $U(n)\subset U(mn)$ for $m,n\in\mathbb{N}$ given by the diagonal embedding $$ \alpha\mapsto \text{diag}(\alpha,\cdots, \alpha),$$ for $\alpha$ appearing $m$ times? For ...
-2 votes
1 answer
241 views

Does a group representation being transitive on a basis imply irreducibility?

Let $G$ be an infinite discrete group and $\pi$ a representation of $G$ on the Hilbert space $H$. Suppose that the group representation is transitive on an orthonormal basis $B = \{e_j\}_{j=1}^{\infty}...
4 votes
2 answers
452 views

Is every bounded representation of Z unitarisable when all sets are measurable?

For the purpose of this question, a group is amenable iff there exists a Følner sequence. Dixmier unitarisability problem asks whether a (countable discrete) group G is amenable iff every bounded ...
6 votes
1 answer
403 views

Do acyclic amenable groups exist?

Is there an example of a nontrivial discrete amenable group with vanishing integral homology? To put the question in contrapositive. Given arbitrary acyclic group $Q$, is there some reason for the ...
3 votes
1 answer
243 views

Can a non-free Whitehead group embed as a discrete subgroup of a normed space?

Every countable discrete subgroup of a normed space is isomorphic to the direct sum of the group of integers. I wonder whether it is possible to push this beyond such direct-sum (free abelian) groups ...
2 votes
0 answers
102 views

Orthogonal representation of free products of two groups

Suppose $A$ and $B$ are two countable, discrete, amenable groups. One definition of amenability tells us that there is a sequence of finitely supported, positive definite functions that converges to 1 ...
23 votes
2 answers
7k views

What is a Gaussian measure?

Let $X$ be a topological affine space. A Gaussian measure on $X$ is characterized by the property that its finite-dimensional projections are multivariate Gaussian distributions. Is there a direct ...
2 votes
1 answer
99 views

Definite negative functions and length functions

$\DeclareMathOperator\ND{ND}$I am reading E. Bedos paper on heat properties for groups. Let's denote, for a group G, $$\ND^+_0(G) := \{d : G \to [0,+\infty[\; : \;d \text{ is negative definite and }d(...
1 vote
0 answers
79 views

Groups without "almost equivariant" coarse embeddings

Let $X$ be a set. We say that $\psi:X\times X\to[0,\infty)$ is a CND (conditionally negative definite) kernel if there is a Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}$ and a map $f:X\to\mathcal{H}$ such that \begin{...
4 votes
0 answers
195 views

Bounded cohomology and unitary representations

On page 9 of Nicolas Monod's very nice ICM report "An invitation to bounded cohomology" (https://egg.epfl.ch/~nmonod/articles/icm.pdf), he mentions that bounded cohomology may be related to ...
1 vote
1 answer
423 views

Quaternion representation and Haar measure of $SU(3)$ [closed]

Do we have easily and practically useful quaternion representation for $SU(3)$ group element and for Haar measure? Also, is $SU(2)$ really simplified in the quaternion base?
1 vote
0 answers
177 views

Building random homeomorphisms of the torus $\mathbb T^2$

In https://arxiv.org/abs/0912.3423, a family of random homeomorphisms of the circle is constructed. Main Question: Can the construction be generalized to higher space dimensions, e.g. to $\mathbb T^2$?...
0 votes
0 answers
118 views

A measure on the group of homeomorphisms of $\mathbb T^2$

Let us consider the group of measure-preserving homeomorphisms of $\mathbb T^2$ (with transformations identified if they agree almost everywhere) called $G[\mathbb T^2, \mathcal L^2]$. We shall ...
3 votes
0 answers
115 views

Malliavin-Shavgulidze (type) measures on the group of measure-preserving invertible maps on $\mathbb T$?

The Malliavin-Shavgulidze measures on $\operatorname{Diff}^{1}(I)$ (with $I$ an interval of $\mathbb R$) are defined as the image $W_{\sigma} \circ f^{-1}$ of the Wiener measure $W_{\sigma}$ with ...
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

What does the unique mean on weakly almost periodic functions look like?

There is a unique invariant mean $m$ on WAP functions on any discrete group (see definitions below, theorem of ?). However, the proofs I found are fairly non-explicit on how to obtain this invariant ...
13 votes
1 answer
592 views

Topological semi-direct products of groups

In Kaniuth, Taylor, Induced representations of locally compact groups on pages 9-10 it's claimed that if $G$ is a locally compact group with closed subgroups $N,H$, with $N$ normal in $G$, with $N\cap ...
7 votes
0 answers
193 views

Reduced group C*-algebra $C^*_r(\mathbb{Z}/2*\mathbb{Z}/2)$: norm of specific elements

Consider the free product of $\mathbb{Z}/2$ with itself with generators $$ \mathbb{Z}/2*\mathbb{Z}/2=\langle u,v\mid u^2=1=v^2\rangle $$ and regard its group $C^*$-algebra $$ C^*(\mathbb{Z}/2*\mathbb{...
7 votes
2 answers
530 views

The kernel of all invariant means

Let $G$ be a discrete group which is amenable (i.e. it admits an left-invariant mean, i.e. a continuous positive normalised linear functional $m:\ell^\infty(G) \to \mathbb{R}$ such that $\forall g \in ...
12 votes
2 answers
1k views

A variation of the Ryll-Nardzewski fixed point theorem

Is there a fixed-point theorem that implies the following result? Let $F$ be a nonempty convex set of functions on a discrete group with values in $[0,1]$. Suppose $F$ is invariant with respect to ...
2 votes
0 answers
78 views

Delta distribution for compact groups and its derivatives

Let $G$ be a compact group (e.g. $SU(2)$) and $\rho: G \mapsto GL(n)$ a representation of it. Then we can define the delta function $\delta(g-1)=\sum_{l}\chi_l(g)\chi_l(1) = \sum_l\dim_l(G)\chi_l(g)$ ...
4 votes
1 answer
204 views

Making Hermitian matrices almost commute

Consider two Hermitian matrices $A, B \in \mathbb{C}^{n \times n}$. I'm interested in finding another Hermitian matrix $A'$ that is close to $A$ and almost commutes with $B$. More precisely, I'd like ...
5 votes
0 answers
211 views

Weaker analogues of amenability for groups of piecewise projective homeomorphisms

Let $A$ be a subring of ${\bf R}$ and let $H(A)$ be the group defined/constructed in Monod's 2013 PNAS paper. Monod showed that provided $A\neq {\bf Z}$, $H(A)$ is non-amenable. (The proof breaks down ...
2 votes
2 answers
528 views

Characterizations of amenable groups which use the space $\ell_1(G)$ and convolution

Let $G$ be a discrete group. Do you know characterizations of amenable groups which use the space $\ell_1(G)$ and convolution? I only know Johnson's theorem: A group is amenable if and only if the ...
3 votes
1 answer
361 views

Equivalent definitions of strongly proximal action

Consider the following fragment from the paper "C*-simplicity and the unique trace property for discrete groups" by Breuillard, Kalantar, Kennedy and Ozawa: I have two questions: (1) What ...
8 votes
0 answers
189 views

Bi-exact groups and amenable actions on their compactifications

As defined in C$^∗$-algebras and finite-dimensional approximations by Brown and Ozawa, a discrete countable group $\Gamma$ is bi-exact if its action on $C(\Delta\Gamma):=C(\bar\Gamma)/c_0(\Gamma)$ is ...
2 votes
0 answers
115 views

Proof that any hyperbolic group has Rapid Decay property

A classic result that states that any hyperbolic group in the sense of Gromov has Rapid Decay property in the sense of Jolisaint. But the original proof of that fact is contained in an old Ph.D. ...
9 votes
1 answer
346 views

Is there a uniform solution of the Ruziewicz problem?

For any integer $n\geq 2$ there is one and only one (up to rescaling) rotation-invariant, finitely-additive measure on the Lebesgue $\sigma$-algebra of $S^n$. The proof of this statement I'm aware of ...
2 votes
1 answer
156 views

Ergodic decomposition - how does restricting measure effect it? (Choquet Theory)

Suppose that $G$ is a discrete countable group and $\mu$ is an IRS (invariant random subgroup) of $G$: $\mu$ is conjugation invariant as a probability measure on the subgroups of $G$. Since all the $...
6 votes
1 answer
340 views

The abc-conjecture over the positive rationals and Levy-Schoenberg kernels?

I am continuing the "abc-adventure" and have a specific question, which needs some explanation: In this paper by Gangolli, the term "Levy-Schoenberg" kernel is defined (Definition 2.3). Consider the ...
1 vote
1 answer
133 views

Realizing certain affine functions on Choquet simplices on dimension groups

This is a question that is a bit outside my usual mathematical comfort zone, but I feel like an expert might know the answer. Recall that a dimension group is an ordered abelian group $G$ with ...
21 votes
1 answer
2k views

Almost commuting unitary matrices

Suppose that $A_1,\dots, A_k$ are unitary matrices such that any two of them can be approximated by commuting unitary matrices. i.e. for any $i$ and $j$, there are unitary matrices $A_i'$ and $A_j'$ ...
23 votes
4 answers
2k views

Are almost commuting hermitian matrices close to commuting matrices (in the 2-norm)?

I consider on $M_n(\mathbb C)$ the normalized $2$-norm, i.e. the norm given by $\|A\|_2 = \sqrt{\mathrm{Tr}(A^* A)/n}$. My question is whether a $k$-uple of hermitian matrices that are almost ...
1 vote
1 answer
231 views

Continuous semigroup homomorphism of composition to additive structure

Let $G$ be the topological semigroup whose underlying space is $C(\mathbb{R}^d,\mathbb{R}^d)$ equipped with composition as semigroup operation and let $H$ be the topological group whose underlying ...
2 votes
0 answers
77 views

Homomorphism of composition to additive structure

Consider the following topological groups $\operatorname{Homeo}(\mathbb{R}^d)$ be the topological group of all homeomorphism from $\mathbb{R}^d$ onto itself; equipped with the compact-open topology (...
1 vote
1 answer
272 views

Is it possible to extend this homomorphism?

Let $G$ be a torsion free group and $\alpha$ be a non-zero element in its complex group algebra. Assume that $\mathfrak A$ is the Banach sub-algebra of $\ell^1(G)$ generated by $\alpha$. Is it ...
0 votes
1 answer
204 views

A certain class of representations

Let $g$ be a non-identity element in a torsion-free amenable group, does there exist a finite-dimensional unitary representation $\pi$ with $\pi(g)\neq 1$? (The word "finite-dimensional" was ...
7 votes
4 answers
2k views

Invariant means on the integers

Let $A\subseteq\mathbb Z$, as usual we define the lower Beurling density $d^{-}(A)=\lim\inf_{n\rightarrow\infty}\frac{|A\cap[-n,n]|}{2n+1}$ and the upper Beurling density $d^+(A)=\lim\sup_{n\...
3 votes
0 answers
93 views

Connection between Schur multipliers in representation theory and functional analysis? [duplicate]

I was wondering if there is any connection between two things called Schur multipliers or is it just a coincidence? Namely, in representation/group theory the Schur multiplier of a group $G$ is its ...
2 votes
0 answers
96 views

Could we assume without loss of generality that all coefficients are positive?

Let $\alpha$ be an element in the group algebra $\mathbb CG$ of a torsion-free group $G$. Assume that, as an operator acting on $\ell^2(G)$, $\alpha$ is positive. Does there exist $\beta\in\mathbb CG$ ...
4 votes
1 answer
414 views

Finitely Additive Homogeneous Translation Invariant Measure on $\mathcal{P}(\mathbb{R})$

It is known that there exists a finitely additive translation invariant measure on $\mathbb{R}$ that extends the Lebesgue measure. I.e. a function $m:\mathcal{P}(\mathbb{R}) \rightarrow [0,\infty]$ ...
3 votes
1 answer
388 views

Fundamental group and group measure space construction

Let $N$ be a type ${\rm II}$ factor, with trace $\tau$. Consider its fundamental group$$ \mathcal{F}(N)= \{ \tau(p)/\tau(q) \ | \ p,q \text{ non-zero finite projections in } N \text{ and } pNp \simeq ...
5 votes
1 answer
306 views

Cartan subalgebra and group measure space construction

Let $N$ be a ${\rm II}_1$ factor. A maximal abelian self-adjoint subalgebra (MASA) is a $*$-subalgebra $A \subset N$ such that $A' \cap N = A$. It is called a Cartan subalgebra if moreover $\mathcal{N}...
21 votes
1 answer
690 views

Diameter of a quotient of the infinite dimensional sphere

Suppose a group $\Gamma$ acts by isometries on the Hilbert space $\mathbb{H}^\infty$ and it fixes the origin. So $\Gamma$ acts on the unit sphere $\mathbb{S}^\infty$ as well. Assume that the action $...
3 votes
0 answers
206 views

Do these limits exist?

Let $G$ be a (discrete) torsion free group with identity $e$. Recall that for an element $\alpha\in\mathbb C[G]$, the set of complex functions on $G$ with finite support, $\alpha^*\in\mathbb C[G]$ is ...
2 votes
1 answer
246 views

Does this sequence contain a nonnegative number?

Let $G$ be a (discrete) torsion free group with identity $e$. Recall that for an element $\alpha=\sum a_gg$ in $\mathbb C[G]$ (complex functions on $G$ with compact support), $\alpha^*$ is defined to ...
3 votes
1 answer
213 views

About understanding manifold structure on WAP compactification of $\Bbb{C} \rtimes \Bbb{T}$

Let $G$ be a locally compact topological group. A continuous bounded function $f$ on $G$ is called (weakly) almost periodic if the set $L_Gf$ of left translates is relatively compact in the (weak) ...
2 votes
2 answers
178 views

Point spectrum of a positive invertible operator

Let $G$ be a l.c. group and $f$ belong to $C_c(G)$, the space of continuous functions with compact support. Define an operator$T_f$ on $L^2(G)$ by $T_f(g)=f*g$ (the convolution product). If $T_f$ is ...
20 votes
2 answers
1k views

Can There be a 1 dimensional Banach-Tarski paradox in the absence of choice

Let $\mathbb{R}$ act on itself by translation. Then there is no finite decomposition of a unit interval into pieces which, when translated, yields two distinct unit intervals. More formally does ...
12 votes
0 answers
373 views

Does Thompson's group $V$ have property AP?

Property AP: A discrete group $\Gamma$ has property AP (Approximation Property) if there exists a net $(\phi_i)_{i \in I}$ of finitely supported functions on $\Gamma$ such that $\phi_i \to 1 $ weak$^*$...
7 votes
2 answers
521 views

Kazhdan constant and finite index subgroups

I am wondering if there is some general relation between Kazhdan constants of a group and it finite index subgroups? Let $G$ be a finitely generated group with a generating set $\Sigma$ that ...