The distribution of dilating sets: a journey from Euclidean to hyperbolic geometry

Abstract

We survey the distributional properties of progressively dilating sets under projection by covering maps, focusing on manifolds of constant sectional curvature. In the Euclidean case, we review previously known results and formulate some generalizations, derived as a direct byproduct of recent developments on the problem of Fourier decay of finite measures. In the hyperbolic setting, we consider a natural upgrade of the problem to unit tangent bundles; confining ourselves to compact hyperbolic surfaces, we discuss an extension of our recent result with Ravotti on expanding circle arcs, establishing a precise asymptotic expansion for averages along expanding translates of homogeneous curves.