Existence, covolumes and infinite generation of lattices for Davis complexes

Abstract

Let $Σ$ be the Davis complex for a Coxeter system (W,S). The automorphism group G of $Σ$ is naturally a locally compact group, and a simple combinatorial condition due to Haglund--Paulin determines when G is nondiscrete. The Coxeter group W may be regarded as a uniform lattice in G. We show that many such G also admit a nonuniform lattice $Γ$, and an infinite family of uniform lattices with covolumes converging to that of $Γ$. It follows that the set of covolumes of lattices in G is nondiscrete. We also show that the nonuniform lattice $Γ$ is not finitely generated. Examples of $Σ$ to which our results apply include buildings and non-buildings, and many complexes of dimension greater than 2. To prove these results, we introduce a new tool, that of "group actions on complexes of groups", and use this to construct our lattices as fundamental groups of complexes of groups with universal cover $Σ$.

36 pages, 11 figures. Revised according to referee's suggestions. To appear in Groups, Geometry and Dynamics