Central Limit Theorems for Gromov Hyperbolic Groups

In this paper we study asymptotic properties of symmetric and nondegenerate random walks on transient hyperbolic groups. We prove a central limit theorem and a law of iterated logarithm for the drift of a random walk, extending previous results by S. Sawyer and T. Steger and of F. Ledrappier for certain CAT(−1)-groups. The proofs use a result by A. Ancona on the identification of the Martin boundary of a hyperbolic group with its Gromov boundary. We also give a new interpretation, in terms of Hilbert metrics, of the Green metric, first introduced by S. Brofferio and S. Blachère.