Arithmeticity of groups $\mathbb Z^n\rtimes\mathbb Z$

Abstract

We study when the group $\mathbb Z^n\rtimes_A\mathbb Z$ is arithmetic where $A\in GL_n(\mathbb Z)$ is hyperbolic and semisimple. We begin by giving a characterization of arithmeticity phrased in the language of algebraic tori, building on work of Grunewald-Platonov. We use this to prove several more concrete results that relate the arithmeticity of $\mathbb Z^n\rtimes_A\mathbb Z$ to the reducibility properties of the characteristic polynomial of $A$. Our tools include algebraic tori, representation theory of finite groups, Galois theory, and the inverse Galois problem.