On self-similarity of $p$-adic analytic pro-$p$ groups of small dimension

Abstract: Given a torsion-free $p$-adic analytic pro-$p$ group $G$ with $\mathrm{dim}(G) < p$, we show that the self-similar actions of $G$ on regular rooted trees can be studied through the virtual endomorphisms of the associated $\mathbb{Z}_p$-Lie lattice. We explicitly classify 3-dimensional unsolvable $\mathbb{Z}_p$-Lie lattices for $p$ odd, and study their virtual endomorphisms. Together with Lazard's correspondence, this allows us to classify 3-dimensional unsolvable torsion-free $p$-adic analytic pro-$p$ groups for $p\geqslant 5$, and to determine which of them admit a faithful self-similar action on a $p$-ary tree. In particular, we show that no open subgroup of $SL_1^1(\Delta_p)$ admits such an action. On the other hand, we prove that all the open subgroups of $SL_2^{\triangle}(\mathbb{Z}_p)$ admit faithful self-similar actions on regular rooted trees.