Groups and Their Actions on Sets
Examining how groups interact with sets and their essential properties.
― 8 min read
Table of Contents
The study of how groups can act on sets is an important area in mathematics. This paper focuses on groups that meet specific conditions and how they preserve certain properties when they act on spaces. We look at groups that act on infinite sets and their special characteristics. In particular, we explore two types of actions: those that can be described as essentially free and those that are essentially transitive.
Groups and Actions
A group is a collection of elements that can be combined using a specific operation. When we talk about a group acting on a set, it means that each element of the group can be used to change the elements of the set. This can be done in various ways, but the key is that the group structure must be preserved during the action.
For example, if we have a group of transformations, we can apply these transformations to an infinite set of points. If a group acts in such a way that every point can be moved to any other point through the group's actions, we say that it is transitive. There are specific conditions under which a group may not be fully transitive, leading to the terms "essentially free" and "essentially transitive."
Essentially Free Actions
An action is considered essentially free if most points in the set are moved around freely by the group. This means that for almost every point, there is no subgroup of the group that stabilizes that point; in other words, it does not remain fixed under the group's actions.
This property is essential because it allows us to analyze how the group interacts with the set without having to worry about points being stationary. If most points are "free," we can see how the group can explore the entire set without being held back.
Essentially Transitive Actions
On the other hand, an action is essentially transitive if one can find a large subset of points where one point can be moved to another through the group's actions. In this case, there is at least one orbit (a collection of points that can be reached from each other by the group's actions) that contains many points.
This feature is significant because it shows that while not every point can be reached from every other point, there exist substantial connections within the set through the actions of the group.
Invariant Random Expansions
In addition to studying how groups act on sets, we also examine the concept of invariant random expansions. These are measures that help us understand how groups can act on more complex structures derived from basic sets. An invariant random expansion means that we can define a way to expand a set by adding more elements or relations while ensuring that the overall structure remains consistent under the group's actions.
This concept allows mathematicians to see how groups can not only act on simple sets but also influence more intricate structures while preserving essential characteristics.
Key Characteristics of Groups
To delve deeper into our study, we outline three main characteristics of the groups we focus on:
Oligomorphic: A group is oligomorphic if it has only a finite number of orbits when it acts on finite subsets of the set. This property indicates a certain level of control or regularity in how the group acts.
No Algebraicity: A group has no algebraicity if it does not have points that can be seen as "fixed" in a strong sense. This means that all points in finite subsets can move freely under the group's actions without collapsing into a smaller structure.
Weak Elimination of Imaginaries: This condition refers to how groups deal with certain types of elements that might not appear explicitly in a given structure. Weak elimination means that every open subgroup contains a finite index subgroup that stabilizes certain finite subsets.
These properties ensure that the group's behavior is well-defined and consistent when interacting with sets.
The Main Results
The primary focus of our paper is to show that for groups with the characteristics outlined above, any measure-preserving action of such a group is either essentially free or essentially transitive. This result gives us significant insights into the nature of groups and their actions, moving beyond mere definitions into the realm of practical implications.
We start by discussing the implications of these actions. For groups that are transitive and meet the outlined properties, any probability measure on the actions will either reflect essential freedom or essential transitivity. This conclusion provides a solid framework for understanding the dynamics of these groups.
Automorphism Groups of Countable Structures
One key area of interest lies in the automorphism groups of countable structures. Automorphisms are transformations that preserve the structure of an object. By studying these groups, we can gain valuable insights into how groups behave under certain conditions.
When a group acts on a countable structure, it can often be described in terms of automorphisms. The automorphism group captures the essence of how the group interacts with the structure while maintaining its properties.
Key Findings in Automorphism Groups
Behavior of Closed Subgroups: We focus on closed subgroups, which are groups that can be seen as complete with respect to the topology they induce. This property helps us understand how actions behave in a structured manner.
Comparison with Minimal Actions: The concept of minimal actions, where the group acts on a space in such a way that each orbit is as "large" as possible, links closely to our findings. We draw parallels between the existence of comeager orbits (dense or prevalent orbits) and the behavior of groups under measure-preserving actions.
Applications of Model Theory: In studying these groups, model theory provides tools and frameworks that allow us to explore relationships between different structures. As we analyze the implications of our findings, we draw upon model-theoretic principles to justify our conclusions about the dynamics of the groups.
Subgroup Dynamics
Another area of interest in our study is subgroup dynamics-the way in which a subgroup acts on a set of closed subgroups itself. This avenue opens up new ways to observe how groups can interact with one another and reveals deeper insights about their structure.
Chabauty Topology
The Chabauty topology, which we apply to Polish groups, offers a rich framework for understanding subgroup dynamics. This topology helps classify closed subgroups and their behaviors. Understanding how subgroup dynamics play out under different topologies is crucial for interpreting the relationships between various structures.
Invariant Random Subgroups
We also delve into the concept of invariant random subgroups (IRS), which are measures on the space of closed subgroups that remain stable under conjugation (a specific type of transformation). An IRS captures the idea of how subgroups can behave within a larger group framework, providing insights into their structure and dynamics.
Properties of IRS
Borel Probability Measures: IRS are represented as Borel measures, which are important in measure theory. These measures help in analyzing the probability aspects of groups acting on sets.
Conjugation Stability: The concept of being invariant under conjugation provides a way to study how subgroups can remain stable while undergoing transformations. This property is essential for analyzing more complex group behaviors.
Connections to Group Actions: By linking IRS to measure-preserving actions, we establish connections between different mathematical concepts and enable a more integrated approach to studying groups and their properties.
Dynamically De Finetti Groups
Our investigation leads to the identification of dynamically de Finetti groups, a special class of groups that meet specific criteria regarding their actions. These groups exhibit unique properties that allow us to analyze their structure further.
Conditions for Dynamically De Finetti Groups
Weak Elimination of Imaginaries: This characteristic ensures that the group can handle certain abstract elements without collapsing into simpler forms.
No Algebraicity: This condition reinforces the idea that groups can act freely without fixed points obstructing their actions.
Dissociative Structure: The dissociative characteristic implies that the group's actions do not entangle the outcomes of different points, making it easier to analyze their properties.
These features allow dynamically de Finetti groups to demonstrate clear patterns in their actions, leading to useful conclusions in their study.
Conclusion
In summary, we have explored the intricate relationships between groups, their actions on sets, and the various properties that govern their behavior. By focusing on characteristics such as oligomorphism, the absence of algebraicity, and weak elimination of imaginaries, we have established essential results concerning measure-preserving actions.
Our investigation into invariant random expansions and subgroups further enriches our understanding of how groups can operate within complex structures. By identifying dynamically de Finetti groups, we illuminate a pathway for ongoing research into these fascinating mathematical entities.
As we conclude, we emphasize the significance of this Study for both theoretical exploration and practical applications within the broader mathematical landscape. The results outlined here pave the way for further inquiries and encourage continued examination of group actions in various settings.
Title: Stabilizers for ergodic actions and invariant random expansions of non-archimedean Polish groups
Abstract: Let $G$ be a closed permutation group on a countably infinite set $\Omega$, which acts transitively but not highly transitively. If $G$ is oligomorphic, has no algebraicity and weakly eliminates imaginaries, we prove that any probability measure preserving ergodic action $G\curvearrowright (X,\mu)$ is either essentially free or essentially transitive. As this stabilizers rigidity result concerns a class of non locally compact Polish groups, our methods of proof drastically differ from that of similar results in the realm of locally compact groups. We bring the notion of dissociation from exchangeability theory in the context of stabilizers rigidity by proving that if $G\lneq\mathrm{Sym}(\Omega)$ is a transitive, proper, closed subgroup, which has no algebraicity and weakly eliminates imaginaries, then any dissociated probability measure preserving action of $G$ is either essentially free or essentially transitive. A key notion that we develop in our approach is that of invariant random expansions, which are $G$-invariant probability measures on the space of expansions of the canonical (model theoretic) structure associated with $G$. We also initiate the study of invariant random subgroups for Polish groups and prove that - although the result for p.m.p. ergodic actions fails for the group $\mathrm{Sym}(\Omega)$ of all permutations of $\Omega$ - any ergodic invariant random subgroup of $\mathrm{Sym}(\Omega)$ is essentially transitive.
Authors: Colin Jahel, Matthieu Joseph
Last Update: 2023-11-28 00:00:00
Language: English
Source URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.06253
Source PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2307.06253
Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Changes: This summary was created with assistance from AI and may have inaccuracies. For accurate information, please refer to the original source documents linked here.
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