Ergodic-transformation centralizers and essentially non-compact graphing symmetry

Abstract

We prove that for every ergodic transformation $T$ on an infinite standard probability space both the automorphism group (i.e. centralizer) $\mathrm{Aut}(T)$ and its reversing automorphism group are realizable as symmetry groups of graphings. This is an analogue of Sabidussi's realization of arbitrary graph-automorphism groups, and provides numerous examples of graphing automorphism groups carrying no compatible compact topology, answering a question of Lovasz'. Another consequence of discussion and ensuing constructions is the existence of large mutually locally-globally equivalent graphing families with highly variable symmetry.