On a Lie group NA that is a split extension of a nilpotent Lie group N by a one-parameter group of automorphisms A, the heat semigroup ${\mu }_t$ generated by a second order subelliptic left-invariant operator ${\sum }_{j=0}^m{Y}_j+Y$ is considered. Under natural conditions there is a $\mu {̌}_t$-invariant measure m on N, i.e. $\mu {̌}_t*m=m$. Precise asymptotics of m at infinity is given for a large class of operators with Y₀,...,Yₘ generating the Lie algebra of S.

We examine the asymptotic, or large-time, behaviour of the semigroup kernel associated with a finite sum of homogeneous subcoercive operators acting on a connected Lie group of polynomial growth. If the group is nilpotent we prove that the kernel is bounded by a convolution of two Gaussians whose orders correspond to the highest and lowest orders of the homogeneous subcoercive components of the generator. Moreover we establish precise asymptotic estimates on the difference of the kernel and the...