Hyperbolic isometries and boundaries of systolic complexes

Abstract

Given a group $G$ acting geometrically on a systolic complex $X$ and a hyperbolic isometry $h \in G$, we study the associated action of $h$ on the systolic boundary $\partial X$. We show that $h$ has a canonical pair of fixed points on the boundary and that it acts trivially on the boundary if and only if it is virtually central. The key tool that we use to study the action of $h$ on $\partial X$ is the notion of a $K$-displacement set of $h$, which generalises the classical minimal displacement set of $h$. We also prove that systolic complexes equipped with a geometric action of a group are almost extendable.