On splitting rank of non-compact-type symmetric spaces and bounded cohomology

Abstract

Let [Formula: see text] be a higher rank symmetric space of non-compact type where [Formula: see text]. We define the splitting rank of [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], to be the maximal dimension of a totally geodesic submanifold [Formula: see text] which splits off an isometric [Formula: see text]-factor. We compute explicitly the splitting rank for each irreducible symmetric space. For an arbitrary (not necessarily irreducible) symmetric space, we show that the comparison map [Formula: see text] is surjective in degrees [Formula: see text], provided [Formula: see text] has no direct factors of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. This generalizes the result of [J.-F. Lafont and S. Wang, Barycentric straightening and bounded cohomology, to appear in J. Eur. Math. Soc.] regarding Dupont’s problem.