Quasi-isometric embeddings of symmetric spaces and lattices: reducible case

Abstract

We study quasi-isometric embeddings of symmetric spaces and non-uniform irreducible lattices in semi-simple higher rank Lie groups. We show that any quasi-isometric embedding between symmetric spaces of the same rank can be decomposed into a product of quasi-isometric embeddings into irreducible symmetric spaces. We thus extend earlier rigidity results about quasi-isometric embeddings to the setting of semi-simple Lie groups. We also present some examples when the rigidity does not hold, including first examples in which every flat is mapped into multiple flats.