On Metric Relations between Lie Groups

Abstract

This thesis approaches the problem of quasi-isometric classification of Lie groups. The point of view is motivated by the known metric properties of Carnot groups, and the strategy to find similar properties in more general settings is thus twofold: First, we ask when a pair of non-isomorphic Lie groups can be made isometric using left-invariant Riemannian distances. Second, we investigate what kind of role the existence of metric dilations plays for quasi-isometry questions. Several new results and viewpoints are found, reducing metric questions to algebraic ones. Examples of the limitations of the theory and the methods to find those examples are studied.