Strong limit multiplicity for arithmetic hyperbolic surfaces and 3-manifolds

Abstract

We show that every sequence of torsion-free arithmetic congruence lattices in $\mathrm{PGL}(2,\mathbb R)$ or $\mathrm{PGL}(2,\mathbb C)$ satisfies a strong quantitative version of the Limit Multiplicity property. We deduce that for $R>0$ in certain range, growing linearly in the degree of the invariant trace field, the volume of the $R$-thin part of any congruence arithmetic hyperbolic surface or congruence arithmetic hyperbolic $3$-manifold $M$ is of order at most $\mathrm{Vol}(M)^{11/12}$. As an application we prove Gelander's conjecture on homotopy type of arithmetic hyperbolic $3$-manifolds: We show that there are constants $A,B$ such that every such manifold $M$ is homotopy equivalent to a simplicial complex with at most $A\mathrm{Vol}(M)$ vertices, all of degrees bounded by $B$.