All Questions
Tagged with pr.probability gr.group-theory
102 questions
2
votes
0
answers
100
views
Distributions of random walks on boundaries of balls in hyperbolic metric spaces
Suppose $G$ is a finitely-generated non-elementary hyperbolic group and consider a symmetric random walk on the Cayley graph $\text{Cay}(G,S)$ with generating set $S$. Denote the set of points $B_{\...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
150
views
Can we find background noise for every Følner sequence in a countable amenable group?
Let $G$ be a countable amenable group. We consider sequences $(z_g)_{g\in G}$ of complex numbers with $|z_g|=1$ for all $g\in G$.
I will say $(z_g)_{g\in G}$ is background noise for a (left-)Følner ...
- 10.6k
7
votes
0
answers
233
views
Growth of spheres in FINITE nilpotent groups - Gaussian approximation (central limit theorem)?
Standard setup. Consider a group and choose generators. Word-metric (or in the other words - distance on the Cayley graph of the group+generators) - converts a group into a metric space, which is ...
- 24.9k
2
votes
1
answer
244
views
Markov property for groups?
My question again refers to the following article:
Koji Fujiwara, Zlil Sela, The rates of growth in a hyperbolic group, Invent. math. 233 (2023) pp 1427–1470, doi:10.1007/s00222-023-01200-w, arXiv:...
- 309
9
votes
1
answer
735
views
Where has this structure been observed?
$\newcommand{\M}{\mathcal{M}}$Let $M$ be a monoid. Consider the following structure:
$R_X,R_Y:\mathbb{Z}^2 \to M$ satisfying the following "compatiblity-relation":
$$R_X (x, y) \cdot R_Y (x +...
- 6,741
4
votes
1
answer
223
views
Existence of disintegrations for improper priors on locally-compact groups
In wide generality, the disintegration theorem says that Radon probability measures admit disintegrations. I'm trying to understand the case when we weaken this to infinite measures, specifically ...
- 8,512
15
votes
1
answer
687
views
Probability that a random element of a group is trivial
Let $G$ be an infinite group with a finite generating set $S$. For $n \geq 1$, let $p_n$ be the probability that a random word in $S \cup S^{-1}$ of length at most $n$ represents the identity. Is it ...
- 153
0
votes
0
answers
118
views
A measure on the group of homeomorphisms of $\mathbb T^2$
Let us consider the group of measure-preserving homeomorphisms of $\mathbb T^2$ (with transformations identified if they agree almost
everywhere) called $G[\mathbb T^2, \mathcal L^2]$. We shall ...
- 101
1
vote
0
answers
177
views
Building random homeomorphisms of the torus $\mathbb T^2$
In https://arxiv.org/abs/0912.3423, a family of random homeomorphisms of the circle is constructed. Main Question: Can the construction be generalized to higher space dimensions, e.g. to $\mathbb T^2$?...
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
185
views
A system of linear equations with way too many unknowns — constructing a bivariate distribution from marginals and "the diagonal"
Suppose we are given information about distributions of random permutations $\sigma, \tau : \Omega \to S_n$ as follows:
$$p^1_{k,l} = \mathbb P(\sigma(k) = l), p^2_{k',l'} = \mathbb P(\tau(k) = l), p^{...
- 677
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Can this probability be obtained by a combinatorial/symmetry argument?
Suppose that $a_1,\dots,a_n,b_1,\dots,b_n$ are iid random variables each with a symmetric non-atomic distribution.
Let $p$ denote the probability that there is some real $t$ such that $t a_i \ge b_i$ ...
- 128k
2
votes
0
answers
138
views
Update on Viskov's paper on random processes, Lagrange inversion, and the Heisenberg–Weyl algebra
"A Random Walk with a Skip-Free Component and the Lagrange Inversion Formula" by Viskov presents connections among Lagrange inversion and measures of random Lévy processes. The freely ...
- 10.5k
11
votes
0
answers
263
views
Which results in probabilistic group theory generalize from finite groups to compact Hausdorff groups (and which don't)?
Let $G$ be a finite group. It has been shown that:
If the probability that two randomly selected elements of $G$ generate an abelian group is greater than $5/8$, $G$ is abelian.
If the probability ...
- 495
2
votes
0
answers
110
views
Moment of the hitting measure of a subgroup
Given a [finitely generated] group $G$ and a finite generating set $S$, a measure $\mu$ will have finite $\alpha$-moment if $\sum_{g \in G} \mu(g) |g|_S^\alpha$ is finite (where $|g|_S$ is the word ...
- 4,432
1
vote
0
answers
489
views
Can we generalize the concept of "characters" in group theory via methods from statistics and probability theory?
$\DeclareMathOperator\Cov{Cov}$Motivation: If $G$ is a finite group and $\phi=X+iY: G\to \mathbb{T}$ is a character of $G$, then $\Cov(X,Y)=0$ where $X$, $Y$ are considered as two real random ...
- 356
1
vote
0
answers
340
views
Random walk on non-abelian free group
Let $F_2$ be the free non-abelian group with generators $a, b\in F_2$.
Has the "random walk" where we start with the identity and then multiply it by $a$ or $b$ or $a^{-1}$ or $b^{-1}$ ...
- 11
3
votes
0
answers
153
views
Metropolis-Hastings sampling as a group action
Suppose that you have a topological space $\Omega \subset \mathbb R^n$ accompanied a measure $\mu$ and you're running an iterative sampling algorithm like Metropolis-Hastings. To sample you choose a ...
6
votes
1
answer
291
views
Comparing $X+Y$ and $X-Y$ for independent random variables with values in an abelian locally compact group
Let $G$ be an abelian locally (separable?) compact group with Haar measure $\mu$. Inspired by the interesting proof of A sum of two binomial random variables :
Let $X$ and $Y$ be $G$-valued ...
- 2,101
0
votes
1
answer
153
views
Probability distribution of random products of elements of a generating set of a finite non-abelian group
Let $G$ be a finite non-abelian group, and consider a choice of $N$ distinct elements $g_{0},g_{1},\ldots,g_{N-1}\in G$ that generate $G$. Now, let $t$ be an arbitrary positive integer, and let $d_{1},...
- 1,284
8
votes
2
answers
442
views
Constant Martin kernel and amenability
Consider a finitely supported random walk on a discrete group G such that the support generates $G$ as a semigroup. The Martin kernels are then non-negative functions on the product $G \times M$ where ...
2
votes
0
answers
89
views
Name for a probability density ''symmetrized'' by a permutation group?
Let $p$ be a probability density function over random variable $X$, and $G$ a compact permutation group over the outcomes of $X$. For each $g\in G$, let $p_g$ indicate the probability density ...
- 695
1
vote
1
answer
519
views
How typical are integer isometries on a hypercube? Littlewood-Offord problem for Bernoulli Gram matrices
Let $m\geq 3$ be fixed and $n\to\infty$. Consider $v=(v_j)_{j\leq m}$ with $v_1,\ldots,v_m\in \{-1,+1\}^n$. Let:
$N_I(v)$ be the number of sequences $u_1,\ldots,u_m\in \{-1,+1\}^n$ isometric to $v$ ...
- 175
12
votes
2
answers
406
views
Does asymmetric fraction of finite groups tend to $0$?
Let’s define asymmetric fraction of a finite group $G$ as the number $$\mathrm{af}(G) = \frac{|\{(g, a) \in G \times \mathrm{Aut}(G)\mid a(g) = g\}|}{|G|\cdot|\mathrm{Aut}(G)|}.$$ Equivalently it can ...
- 2,618
4
votes
0
answers
266
views
Metrics on finite groups and generalizations of central limit theorems for balls volumes (à la Diaconis-Graham)
In wonderful lectures by P. Diaconis "Group representations in probability and statistics, Chapter 6. Metrics on Groups, and Their Statistical Use" metrics on permutation groups are considered and ...
- 24.9k
5
votes
1
answer
412
views
Random pairs of commuting permutations
Let $\Omega_n \subseteq \mathrm{Sym}(n)^4$ be the set of all $4$-tuples $(\sigma_1,\sigma_2,\tau_1,\tau_2)$ of permutations of $\{1,\ldots,n\}$ such that $\sigma_j \tau_k = \tau_k \sigma_j$ for each ...
- 1,769
13
votes
3
answers
933
views
Probability of commutation in a compact group
It is well known that if $G$ is a finite group, then the probability that two elements commutte is either $1$ (if $G$ is abelian) or less than or equal to $\frac58$.
If instead $K$ is a compact group,...
- 52.3k
7
votes
1
answer
548
views
The probability that two elements of a finite nonabelian simple group commute
It is mentioned in here (last paragraph of the first page) that Dixon proved the following result: the probability that two elements of a finite nonabelian simple group commute is at most $\frac{1}{12}...
- 71
13
votes
1
answer
791
views
How nearly abelian are nilpotent groups?
It is not uncommon to read that "nilpotent groups are 'close to abelian'."1,2
Can this sentiment be made precise
in the sense of the
Turán and Erdős definition of "the probability that two elements of ...
- 151k
28
votes
2
answers
771
views
Probability of generation of ${\mathbb Z}^2$
What is the probability that three pairs $(a,b) $ , $(c,d) $ and $(e,f) $ of integers generate $\mathbb Z^2$? As usual the probability is the limit as $n\to \infty$ of the same probability for the $n\...
user6976
2
votes
0
answers
202
views
Random walk on a finite group, converging modulo a function
Let $G$ be a finite group, and let $Q$ be a probability measure on $G$. Suppose that $Q$, as a function on $G$, is supported on a conjugacy class $C$. We denote by $Q^{*k}$ the $k$-fold convolution of ...
- 14.6k
4
votes
2
answers
359
views
Random walk uniformly hitting a compact set
Suppose $G$ is a locally compact compactly generated group. Let $\mu$ be a probability measure that is:
Adapted to $G$, i.e. there is no proper subgroup $H$ such that $\mu(H)=1$.
Symmetric, i.e. $\...
- 527
5
votes
2
answers
389
views
Divergence of Green function of random walks at spectral radius
Let $P=(p(x,y))_{x, y\in N}$ be the transition matrix over countable states $N$.
Consider the generating Green function $G(x, y|t)=\sum_{0}^{\infty} p^n(x, y) t^n$, where $p^n(x,y)$ is the $(x,y)$-...
- 619
8
votes
2
answers
343
views
Cubic almost-vertex-transitive graphs with given spanning tree
Consider the infinite 3-regular tree. Pick a vertex $C$, the "center".
For any integer $L\ge 1$ consider the closed ball, in the graph distance, of radius $L$ around $C$. Let $T_L$ be the induced ...
8
votes
0
answers
211
views
Superharmonic functions and amenability
Let $G$ be a group generated by a finite set $S$. Let $P$ be a Markov operator defined by the uniform measure on $S$. A function is superharmonic if $Pf\leq f$.
Assume that there is a set of non-...
- 4,705
2
votes
0
answers
88
views
Example of action of an infinitely countable group that has important ergodic/statistical property?
I work in probability and I am looking for an important example of action of an amenable countable group in other areas of math for which the (pointwise) ergodic theorem is actually quite important. ...
- 21
3
votes
1
answer
693
views
Size of automorphism group of random regular graph
If I pick a random regular graph on $n$-vertices and degree $d$ from uniform distribution what is the probability that its automorphism group is of size at least $m$?
--
I want to know what is the ...
- 13.9k
1
vote
0
answers
311
views
Show that $\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{F}_p)$ is quasi-random
Terry Tao gives this oblique definition of quasirandom group in his notes 3
$G$ is quasi-random (of order $D$) if all non-trivial unitary representations $\rho: G \to U(H)$ have dimension at least $...
- 22.8k
7
votes
1
answer
167
views
Random pro-p groups via iterated uniformly random central extensions
Inspired by this question on math.se, I want to understand the following construction of a random pro-$p$ group:
We want to construct an inverse system
$$\cdots \xrightarrow{\alpha_i} G_i \...
- 401
6
votes
1
answer
569
views
Liouville property - a very basic question
Let $\mathbb{F}_2$ be the free group on two generators. By a result of Kaimanovich and Vershik, for each measure $\mu$ on $\mathbb{F}_2$ such that the support of $\mu$ generates $\mathbb{F}_2$, we ...
- 4,705
4
votes
0
answers
177
views
Is there any probabilistic characterization for generalized solvable groups?
References: This question is inspired by a conjecture of Alon Amit that is solved by Miklós Abért, Nikolay Nikolov and Dan Segal in the following papers:
(1) On the probability of satisfying a word in ...
user82740
10
votes
5
answers
2k
views
fixed points of permutation groups
As is well-known (see, for example, a nice exposition by our own Qiaochu: https://qchu.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/fixed-points-of-random-permutations/) that the distribution of the number of fixed ...
- 96.4k
3
votes
1
answer
3k
views
variance of the number of fixed points for a permutation group
It is reasonably well-known that the variance of the number of fixed points for $S_n$ equals $1.$ Now, what about other transitive permutation groups on $\{1, \dotsc, n\}?$ Presumably much is known. I ...
- 96.4k
67
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Why can't a nonabelian group be 75% abelian?
This question asks for intuition, not a proof.
An earlier question,
Measures of non-abelian-ness
was thoroughly answered by Arturo Magidin.
A paper by Gustafson1
proves that, for a nonabelian group,
...
- 151k
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
In how many steps a random walk visits all the elements of a finite group, with a probability 1/2?
This question is a variation of the return to the origin problem.
Let $G$ be the finite group $\mathbb{Z}/n \times \mathbb{Z}/n$ and let the random transformation $T: G \to G$ such that $T(a,b) = (...
2
votes
2
answers
381
views
Speed and absence of non-constant bounded harmonic functions
For a (symmetric) random walks on countable groups generated by $\mu$, there is a "brute-force computation" argument of Avez (1974) that shows that if the entropy $h_\mu$ is trivial then there are no ...
- 4,432
2
votes
1
answer
261
views
Does the set of automorphisms of a cyclic group exhibit some sense of randomness?
I prefer to proceed with a concrete example if I may. I appreciate that the answer might well be better explained with group theory, geometry and/or notions from probability theory, which I welcome.
...
- 2,480
21
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Generating random finite groups
I would like a method to efficiently generate a random finite group of a given order $n$.
If there are $g(n)$ non-isomorphic groups of order $n$,
ideally each group would occur with probability $1/g(n)...
- 151k
2
votes
1
answer
173
views
Proving that a closed walk of some odd length k exists on a Cayley graph
I'm trying to prove the following:
Let $G$ be a group with finite symmetric generating set $S$ and let $\Gamma(G,S)$ be the corresponding Cayley graph. Let $X_1, X_2,\cdots$ be a simple random walk ...
- 179
-2
votes
1
answer
190
views
Dixon's Theorem [closed]
I am going through a sketch of the proof of Dixon's Theorem (the probability that two randomly chosen elements of A_n generate A_n -> 1 as n -> infinity) due to M. Liebeck and its underlying idea is ...
- 65
9
votes
3
answers
654
views
measure with given push-forwards
Let $X,Y$ be locally compact spaces (in my specific case, they are locally compact groups). Suppose that we are given a measure $\mu$ on $X$ and a finite number of quotient maps $p_1,\ldots,p_n:Y\...
