Discrete subgroups with finite Bowen-Margulis-Sullivan measure in higher rank

Abstract

Let $G$ be a connected semisimple real algebraic group and $\Gamma<G$ be its Zariski dense discrete subgroup. We prove that if $\Gamma\backslash G$ admits any finite Bowen-Margulis-Sullivan measure, then $\Gamma$ is virtually a product of higher rank lattices and discrete subgroups of rank one factors of $G$. This may be viewed as a measure-theoretic analogue of classification of convex cocompact actions by Kleiner-Leeb and Quint, which was conjectured by Corlette in 1994. The key ingredients in our proof are the product structure of leafwise measures and the high entropy method of Einsiedler-Katok-Lindenstrauss. In a companion paper jointly with Edwards and Oh, we use this result to show that the bottom of the $L^2$ spectrum has no atom in any infinite volume quotient of a higher rank simple algebraic group.