Compact Sobolev embeddings on non-compact manifolds via orbit expansions of isometry groups

Given a complete non-compact Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$ with certain curvature restrictions, we introduce an expansion condition concerning a group of isometries $G$ of $(M,g)$ that characterizes the coerciveness of $G$ in the sense of Skrzypczak and Tintarev (Arch. Math., 2013). Furthermore, under these conditions, compact Sobolev-type embeddings \`a la Berestycki-Lions are proved for the full range of admissible parameters (Sobolev, Moser-Trudinger and Morrey). We also consider the case of non-compact Randers-type Finsler manifolds with finite reversibility constant inheriting similar embedding properties as their Riemannian companions; sharpness of such constructions are shown by means of the Funk model. As an application, a quasilinear PDE on Randers spaces is studied by using the above compact embeddings and variational arguments.