Finite dimensional amenable groups

Abstract

We show that an amenable group of finite Assouad-Nagata dimension satisfies the property $H_{FD}$ of Shalom. Such infinite groups are known to admit a virtual homomorphism onto $\mathbb{Z}$, and thus our result implies that an amenable group of finite $AN$-dimension cannot be a simple group. We can also conclude that an amenable group of finite $AN$-dimension cannot be a torsion group. Our proof is based on new estimates of diameters of F{\o}lner couples. We prove that any amenable group of finite $AN$-dimension admits F{\o}lner couples inside balls of linear diameter and more generally estimate the radius of the balls containing F{\o}lner couples in groups of finite asymptotic dimension. This result strengthens the result of Nowak about diameters of F{\o}lner sets.