Introduces uniform constructions of most of the known compactifications of symmetric and locally symmetric spaces, with emphasis on their geometric and topological structures Relatively self-contained reference aimed at graduate students and research mathematicians interested in the applications of Lie theory and representation theory to analysis, number theory, algebraic geometry and algebraic topology

The new edition of this celebrated and long-unavailable book preserves the original book's content and structure and its unrivalled presentation of a universal method for the resolution of a class of singularities in algebraic geometry.

In one guise or another, many mathematicians are familiar with certain arithmetic groups, such as $\mathbf{Z}$ or $\textrm{SL}(n, \mathbf{Z})$. Yet, many applications of arithmetic groups and many connections to other subjects within mathematics are less well known. Indeed, arithmetic groups admit many natural and important generalizations. The purpose of this expository book is to explain, through some brief and informal comments and extensive references, what arithmetic groups and their generalizations are, why they are important to study, and how they can be understood and applied to many fields, such as analysis, geometry, topology, number theory, representation theory, and algebraic geometry. It is hoped that such an overview will shed a light on the important role played by arithmetic groups in modern mathematics. Titles in this series are co-published with International Press, Cambridge, MA.Table of Contents: Introduction; General comments on references; Examples of basic arithmetic groups; General arithmetic subgroups and locally symmetric spaces; Discrete subgroups of Lie groups and arithmeticity of lattices in Lie groups; Different completions of $\mathbb{Q}$ and $S$-arithmetic groups over number fields; Global fields and $S$-arithmetic groups over function fields; Finiteness properties of arithmetic and $S$-arithmetic groups; Symmetric spaces, Bruhat-Tits buildings and their arithmetic quotients; Compactifications of locally symmetric spaces; Rigidity of locally symmetric spaces; Automorphic forms and automorphic representations for general arithmetic groups; Cohomology of arithmetic groups; $K$-groups of rings of integers and $K$-groups of group rings; Locally homogeneous manifolds and period domains; Non-cofinite discrete groups, geometrically finite groups; Large scale geometry of discrete groups; Tree lattices; Hyperbolic groups; Mapping class groups and outer automorphism groups of free groups; Outer automorphism group of free groups and the outer spaces; References; Index. Review from Mathematical Reviews: ...the author deserves credit for having done the tremendous job of encompassing every aspect of arithmetic groups visible in today's mathematics in a systematic manner; the book should be an important guide for some time to come.(AMSIP/43.

What do the classification of algebraic surfaces, Weyl's dimension formula and maximal orders in central simple algebras have in common? All are related to a type of manifold called locally mixed symmetric spaces in this book. The presentation emphasizes geometric concepts and relations and gives each reader the "roter Faden", starting from the basics and proceeding towards quite advanced topics which lie at the intersection of differential and algebraic geometry, algebra and topology. Avoiding technicalities and assuming only a working knowledge of real Lie groups, the text provides a wealth of examples of symmetric spaces. The last two chapters deal with one particular case (Kuga fiber spaces) and a generalization (elliptic surfaces), both of which require some knowledge of algebraic geometry. Of interest to topologists, differential or algebraic geometers working in areas related to arithmetic groups, the book also offers an introduction to the ideas for non-experts.

The subject of this handbook is Teichmuller theory in a wide sense, namely the theory of geometric structures on surfaces and their moduli spaces. This includes the study of vector bundles on these moduli spaces, the study of mapping class groups, the relation with $3$-manifolds, the relation with symmetric spaces and arithmetic groups, the representation theory of fundamental groups, and applications to physics. Thus the handbook is a place where several fields of mathematics interact: Riemann surfaces, hyperbolic geometry, partial differential equations, several complex variables, algebraic geometry, algebraic topology, combinatorial topology, low-dimensional topology, theoretical physics, and others. This confluence of ideas toward a unique subject is a manifestation of the unity and harmony of mathematics. This volume contains surveys on the fundamental theory as well as surveys on applications to and relations with the fields mentioned above. It is written by leading experts in these fields. Some of the surveys contain classical material, while others present the latest developments of the theory as well as open problems. This volume is divided into the following four sections: The metric and the analytic theory The group theory The algebraic topology of mapping class groups and moduli spaces Teichmuller theory and mathematical physics This handbook is addressed to graduate students and researchers in all the fields mentioned.

This proceedings is a collection of articles in several complex variables with emphasis on geometric methods and results, which includes several survey papers reviewing the development of the topics in these decades. Through this volume one can see an active field providing insight into other fields like algebraic geometry, dynamical systems and partial differential equations.

The present book is intended as a textbook and reference work on three topics in the title. Together with a volume in progress on "Groups and Geometric Analysis" it supersedes my "Differential Geometry and Symmetric Spaces," published in 1962. Since that time several branches of the subject, particularly the function theory on symmetric spaces, have developed substantially. I felt that an expanded treatment might now be useful.

This is the Proceedings of the ICM 2010 Satellite Conference on “Buildings, Finite Geometries and Groups” organized at the Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore, during August 29 – 31, 2010. This is a collection of articles by some of the currently very active research workers in several areas related to finite simple groups, Chevalley groups and their generalizations: theory of buildings, finite incidence geometries, modular representations, Lie theory, etc. These articles reflect the current major trends in research in the geometric and combinatorial aspects of the study of these groups. The unique perspective the authors bring in their articles on the current developments and the major problems in their area is expected to be very useful to research mathematicians, graduate students and potential new entrants to these areas.

* Focuses on two fundamental questions related to semisimple Lie groups: the geometry of Riemannian symmetric spaces and their compactifications, and branching laws for unitary representations * Wide applications of compactification techniques * Concrete examples and relevant exercises engage the reader * Knowledge of basic representation theory of Lie groups, semisimple Lie groups and symmetric spaces is required

This book focusses on a large class of objects in moduli theory and provides different perspectives from which compactifications of moduli spaces may be investigated. Three contributions give an insight on particular aspects of moduli problems. In the first of them, various ways to construct and compactify moduli spaces are presented. In the second, some questions on the boundary of moduli spaces of surfaces are addressed. Finally, the theory of stable quotients is explained, which yields meaningful compactifications of moduli spaces of maps. Both advanced graduate students and researchers in algebraic geometry will find this book a valuable read.