We develop the theory of algorithmic randomness for the space $A^G$ where $A$ is a finite alphabet and $G$ is a computable amenable group. We give an effective version of the Shannon-McMillan-Breiman theorem in this setting. We also extend a result of Simpson equating topological entropy and Hausdorff dimension. This proof makes use of work of Ornstein and Weiss which we also present.
We investigate which infinite binary sequences (reals) are effectively random with respect to some continuous (i.e., non-atomic) probability measure. We prove that for every n, all but countably many reals are n-random for such a measure, where n indicates the arithmetical complexity of the Martin-Lof tests allowed. The proof is based on a Borel determinacy argument and presupposes the existence of infinitely many iterates of the power set of the natural numbers. In the second part of the paper we present a metamathematical analysis showing that this assumption is indeed necessary. More precisely, there exists a computable function G such that, for any n, the statement `All but countably many reals are G(n)-random with respect to a continuous probability measure cannot be proved in $ZFC^-_n$. Here $ZFC^-_n$ stands for Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory with the Axiom of Choice, where the Power Set Axiom is replaced by the existence of n-many iterates of the power set of the natural numbers. The proof of the latter fact rests on a very general obstruction to randomness, namely the presence of an internal definability structure.
The goal of this article is to study results and examples concerning finitely presented covers of finitely generated amenable groups. We collect examples of groups $G$ with the following properties: (i) $G$ is finitely generated, (ii) $G$ is amenable, e.g. of intermediate growth, (iii) any finitely presented group $E$ with a quotient isomorphic to $G$ contains non-abelian free subgroups, or the stronger (iii) any finitely presented group with a quotient isomorphic to $G$ is large.