Contractive representations of odometer semigroup

Abstract

Given a natural number $n\ge 1$, the odometer semigroup $O_n$, also known as the adding machine or the Baumslag-Solitar monoid with two generators, is a well-known object in group theory. This paper examines the odometer semigroup in relation to representations of bounded linear operators. We focus on noncommutative operators and prove that contractive representations of $O_n$ always admit to nicer representations of $O_n$. We give a complete description of representations of $O_n$ on the Fock space and relate it to the odometer lifting and subrepresentations of $O_n$. Along the way, we also classify Nica covariant representations of $O_n$.

30 pages. Revised. To appear in Journal of Functional Analysis