Random walks on dense subgroups of locally compact groups

Abstract

Let $Γ$ be a countable discrete group, $H$ a lcsc totally disconnected group and $ρ: Γ\rightarrow H$ a homomorphism with dense image. We develop a general and explicit technique which provides, for every compact open subgroup $L < H$ and bi-$L$-invariant probability measure $θ$ on $H$, a Furstenberg discretization $τ$ of $θ$ such that the Poisson boundary of $(H,θ)$ is a $τ$-boundary. Among other things, this technique allows us to construct examples of finitely supported random walks on certain lamplighter groups and solvable Baumslag-Solitar groups, whose Poisson boundaries are prime, but not $L^p$-irreducible for any $p \geq 1$, answering a conjecture of Bader-Muchnik in the negative. Furthermore, we give an example of a countable discrete group $Γ$ and two spread-out probability measures $τ_1$ and $τ_2$ on $Γ$ such that the boundary entropy spectrum of $(Γ,τ_1)$ is an interval, while the boundary entropy spectrum of $(Γ,τ_2)$ is a Cantor set.