Gromov's Centralizer Theorem

We study the properties of rigid geometric structures and their relation with those of finite type. The main result proves that for a noncompact simple Lie group G acting analytically on a manifold M preserving a finite volume and either a connection or a geometric structure of finite type there is a nontrivial space of globally defined Killing vector fields on the universal cover \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document} $$\tilde M$$ \end{document} that centralize the action of G. Several appplications of this result are provided.