No abstract

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If φ is a nontrivial automorphism of a thick building ∆ of purely infinite type, we prove that there is no bound on the distance that φ moves a chamber. This has the following group-theoretic consequence: If G is a group of automorphisms of ∆ with bounded quotient, then the center of G is trivial.

No abstract

A concrete lattice chain model for the buildings of the classical groups over non archimedean complete skew fields is given. The building axioms are proved in a uniform way using hereditary orders with involution instead of lattice chains.