The higher rank rigidity theorem for manifolds with no focal points

Abstract

We say that a Riemannian manifold M has rank M ≥ k if every geodesic in M admits at least k parallel Jacobi fields. The Rank Rigidity Theorem of Ballmann and Burns–Spatzier, later generalized by Eberlein–Heber, states that a complete, irreducible, simply connected Riemannian manifold M of rank k ≥ 2 (the “higher rank” assumption) whose isometry group Γ satisfies the condition that the Γ-recurrent vectors are dense in SM is a symmetric space of noncompact type. This includes, for example, higher rank M which admit a finite volume quotient. We adapt the method of Ballmann and Eberlein–Heber to prove a generalization of this theorem where the manifold M is assumed only to have no focal points. We then use this theorem to generalize to no focal points a result of Ballmann–Eberlein stating that for compact manifolds of nonpositive curvature, rank is an invariant of the fundamental group.