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Harmonic functions on nilpotent groups

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Abstract

For a probability measure σ on a locally compact groupG which is not supported on any proper closed subgroup, an elementF ofL (G) is called σ-harmonic if ∫F(st)dσ(t)=F(s), for almost alls inG. Constant functions are σ-harmonic and it is known that for abelianG all σ-harmonic functions are constant. For other groups it is known that non constant σ-harmonic functions exist and the question of whether such functions exist on nilpotent groups is open, though a number of partial results are known. We show that for nilpotent groups of class 2 there are no non constant σ-harmonic functions. Our methods also enable us to give new proofs of results similar to the known partial results.

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Johnson, B.E. Harmonic functions on nilpotent groups. Integr equ oper theory 40, 454–464 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01198140

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01198140

Mathematics Subject Classification 2000

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