Approximation properties for $p$-adic symplectic groups and lattices

Abstract

Let $G$ be the symplectic group $Sp_4$ over a non Archimedean local field of any characteristic. It is proved in this paper that for $p\in[1,4/3)\cup (4,\infty]$ neither the group $G$ nor its lattices have the property of approximation by Schur multipliers on Schatten $p$ class ($AP_{pcb}^{Schur}$) of Lafforgue and de la Salle. As a consequence, for any lattice $\Gamma$ in $G,$ the associated non-commutative $L^p$ space $L^p(L\Gamma)$ of its von Neumann algebra $L(\Gamma)$ fails the operator space approximation property (OAP) and completely bounded approximation property (CBAP) for $p\in[1,4/3)\cup (4,\infty].$ Together with previous work [LdlS, HdL13a, HdL13b, dL], one can conclude that lattices in a higher rank algebraic group over any local field do not have the group approximation property (AP) of Haagerup and Kraus. It is also shown that on some lattice $\Gamma$ in $Sp_4$ over some local field, the constant function $1$ cannot be approximated by radial functions with bounded (not necessarily completely bounded) Fourier multiplier norms on $C^*_r(\Gamma)$, nor on $L^p(L\Gamma)$ for finite $p>4.$