Structure of finite nilspaces and inverse theorems for the Gowers norms in bounded exponent groups

Abstract: A result of the author shows that the behavior of Gowers norms on bounded exponent abelian groups is connected to finite nilspaces. Motivated by this, we investigate the structure of finite nilspaces. As an application we prove inverse theorems for the Gowers norms on bounded exponent abelian groups. It says roughly speaking that if a function on A has non negligible U(k+1)-norm then it correlates with a phase polynomial of degree k when lifted to some abelian group extension of A. This result is closely related to a conjecture by Tao and Ziegler. In prticular we obtain a new proof for the Tao-Ziegler inverse theorem.