Infinite words and universal free actions

This is the second paper in a series of three, where we take on the unified theory of non-Archimedean group actions, length functions and infinite words. Here, for an arbitrary group $G$ of infinite words over an ordered abelian group $\Lambda$ we construct a $\Lambda$-tree $\Gamma_G$ equipped with a free action of $G$. Moreover, we show that $\Gamma_G$ is a universal tree for $G$ in the sense that it isometrically embeds in every $\Lambda$-tree equipped with a free $G$-action compatible with the original length function on $G$.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure

The Non-Archimedean Theory of Discrete Systems

In the paper, we study behavior of discrete dynamical systems (automata) w.r.t. transitivity; that is, speaking loosely, we consider how diverse may be behavior of the system w.r.t. variety of word transformations performed by the system: We call a system completely transitive if, given arbitrary pair $a,b$ of finite words that have equal lengths, the system $\mathfrak A$, while evolution during (discrete) time, at a certain moment transforms $a$ into $b$. To every system $\mathfrak A$, we put into a correspondence a family $\mathcal F_{\mathfrak A}$ of continuous maps of a suitable non-Archimedean metric space and show that the system is completely transitive if and only if the family $\mathcal F_{\mathfrak A}$ is ergodic w.r.t. the Haar measure; then we find easy-to-verify conditions the system must satisfy to be completely transitive. The theory can be applied to analyze behavior of straight-line computer programs (in particular, pseudo-random number generators that are used in cryptography and simulations) since basic CPU instructions (both numerical and logical) can be considered as continuous maps of a (non-Archimedean) metric space $\mathbb Z_2$ of 2-adic integers.Comment: The extended version of the talk given at MACIS-201

Affine actions on non-archimedean trees

We initiate the study of affine actions of groups on $\Lambda$-trees for a general ordered abelian group $\Lambda$; these are actions by dilations rather than isometries. This gives a common generalisation of isometric action on a $\Lambda$-tree, and affine action on an $\R$-tree as studied by I. Liousse. The duality between based length functions and actions on $\Lambda$-trees is generalised to this setting. We are led to consider a new class of groups: those that admit a free affine action on a $\Lambda$-tree for some $\Lambda$. Examples of such groups are presented, including soluble Baumslag-Solitar groups and the discrete Heisenberg group.Comment: 27 pages. Section 1.4 expanded, typos corrected from previous versio

ZnZ^n-free groups are CAT(0)

We show that every group with free $\mathbb{Z}^n$-length function is CAT(0).Comment: To be published in the Journal of the London Mathematical Society. This version is very close to the accepted version. The exposition greatly improved due to the referee's comment

New perspectives in Arakelov geometry

In this survey, written for the proceedings of the VII meeting of the CNTA held in May 2002 in Montreal, we describe how Connes' theory of spectral triples provides a unified view, via noncommutative geometry, of the archimedean and the totally split degenerate fibers of an arithmetic surface.Comment: 20 pages, 10pt LaTeX, 2 eps figures (v3: some changes for the final version