Morse actions of discrete groups on symmetric spaces: local-to-global principle

Abstract

Our main result is a local-to-global principle for Morse quasigeodesics, maps and actions. As an application of our techniques we show algorithmic recognizability of Morse actions and construct Morse “Schottky subgroups” of higher-rank semisimple Lie groups via arguments not based on Tits pingpong. Our argument is purely geometric and proceeds by constructing equivariant Morse quasiisometric embeddings of trees into higher-rank symmetric spaces.