Character rigidity for special linear groups

Abstract

In this paper we study characters on special linear groups SL_n(R), where R is either an infinite field or the localization of an order in a number field. We give several applications to the theory of measure preserving actions, operator-algebraic superrigidity, and almost homomorphisms.

29 pages, no figures; v2 included Theorem 4.9, included more introductory remarks; v3 final version, to appear in Crelle's Journal