We generalize the notion of a projective profinite group to a projective pair of a profinite group and a closed subgroup. We establish the connection with Pseudo Algebraically Closed (PAC) extensions of PAC fields: Let M be an algebraic extension of a PAC field K. Then M/K is PAC if and only if the corresponding pair of absolute Galois groups (Gal(M),Gal(K)) is projective. Moreover any projective pair can be realized as absolute Galois groups of a PAC extension of a PAC field.
Using this characterization we construct new examples of PAC extensions of relatively small fields, e.g., unbounded abelian extensions of the rational numbers.
We prove that the class of closed subgroups of free profinite monoids is precisely the class of projective profinite groups. In particular, the profinite groups associated to minimal symbolic dynamical systems by Almeida are projective. Our result answers a question raised by Lubotzky during the lecture of Almeida at the Fields Workshop on Profinite Groups and Applications, Carleton University, August 2005. We also prove that any finite subsemigroup of a free profinite monoid consists of idempotents.
The homology groups introduced by A. Brumer can be used to establish a criterion ensuring that a profinite $\mathbb{F}_p[[G]]$-module of a pro-$p$ group $G$ has projective dimension $d<\infty$ (cf. Thm. A). This criterion yields a new characterization of free pro-$p$ groups (cf. Cor. B). Applied to a semi-direct factor $G\to\mathbb{Z}_p\to G$ isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}_p$ which defines a non-trivial end in the sense of A.A. Korenev one concludes that the closure of the normal closure of the image of $σ$ is a free pro-$p$ subgroup (cf. Thm. C). From this result we will deduce a structure theorem…
We show that the category of discrete modules over an infinite profinite group has no non-zero projective objects and does not satisfy Ab4*. We also prove the same types of results in a generalized setting using a ring with linear topology.
We construct a correspondence between the cohomology groups of a group $G$ relative to a family of subgroups $\famS$ and the classes of `relative extensions' of $G$ by abelian groups, modulo a certain equivalence relation. We establish this correspondence for both discrete and profinite group pairs. We go on to discuss the relationships of profinite group pairs of cohomological dimension one with free products and projective group pairs.
We give a short proof, using profinite techniques, that idempotent pointlikes, stable pairs and triples are decidable for the pseudovariety of aperiodic monoids. Stable pairs are also described for the pseudovariety of all finite monoids.
We introduce various probablistic finiteness conditions for profinite groups related to positive finite generation (PFG). We investigate completed group rings which are PFG as modules, and use this to answer a question of Kionke and the second author on positively finitely related groups. Using the theory of projective covers, we define and characterise a probabilistic version of the $\mathrm{FP}_n$ property for profinite groups, called $\mathrm{PFP}_n$. Finally, we prove how these conditions are related to previously defined finiteness conditions and each other.
We study the subgroup structure of the étale fundamental group $Π$ of a projective curve over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0. We obtain an analog of the diamond theorem for $Π$. As a consequence we show that most normal subgroups of infinite index are semi-free. In particular every proper open subgroup of a normal subgroup of infinite index is semi-free.
Let R be any ring (with 1), Γa group and RΓthe corresponding group ring. Let H be a subgroup of Γof finite index. Let M be an RΓ-module, whose restriction to RH is projective. Moore's conjecture: Assume for every nontrivial element x in Γ, at least one of the following two conditions holds: M1) the subgroup generated by x intersects H non-trivially (in particular this holds if Γis torsion free). M2) ord(x) is finite and invertible in R. Then M is projective as an RΓ-module. More generally, the conjecture has been formulated for crossed products R*Γand even for strongly graded rings R(Γ). We pr…
We introduce the condition of a profinite group being semi-free, which is more general than being free and more restrictive than being quasi-free. In particular, every projective semi-free profinite group is free. We prove that the usual permanence properties of free groups carry over to semi-free groups. Using this, we conclude that if k is a separably closed field, then many field extensions of k((x,y)) have free absolute Galois groups.
We consider coincidence Reidemeister zeta functions for tame endomorphism pairs of nilpotent groups of finite rank, shedding new light on the subject by means of profinite completion techniques. In particular, we provide a closed formula for coincidence Reidemeister numbers for iterations of endomorphism pairs of torsion-free nilpotent groups of finite rank, based on a weak commutativity condition, which derives from simultaneous triangularisability on abelian sections. Furthermore, we present results in support of a Pólya-Carlson dichotomy between rationality and a natural boundary for the an…
We consider pairs of finitely presented, residually finite groups $P\hookrightarrow\G$ for which the induced map of profinite completions $\hat P\to \hat\G$ is an isomorphism. We prove that there is no algorithm that, given an arbitrary such pair, can determine whether or not $P$ is isomorphic to $\G$. We construct pairs for which the conjugacy problem in $\G$ can be solved in quadratic time but the conjugacy problem in $P$ is unsolvable. Let $\mathcal J$ be the class of super-perfect groups that have a compact classifying space and no proper subgroups of finite index. We prove that there does…
We define cofinite graphs and cofinite groupoids in a unified way that extends the notion of cofinite groups introduced by Hartley. The common underlying structure of all these objects is that they are directed graphs endowed with a certain type of uniform structure, that we call a cofinite uniformity. We begin by exploring the fundamental theory of cofinite directed graphs in full generality. The general theory turns out to be almost completely analogous to that of cofinite groups. For instance, every cofinite directed graph has a unique completion which is a com- pact cofinite direct graph. …
In this paper we define and develop the theory of the cohomology of a profinite group relative to a collection of closed subgroups. Having made the relevant definitions we establish a robust theory of cup products and use this theory to define profinite Poincaré duality pairs. We use the theory of groups acting on profinite trees to give Mayer-Vietoris sequences, and apply this to give results concerning decompositions of 3-manifold groups. Finally we discuss the relationship between discrete duality pairs and profinite duality pairs, culminating in the result that profinite completion of the …
We consider pairs of finitely presented, residually finite groups $u:P\hookrightarrow Γ$. We prove that there is no algorithm that, given an arbitrary such pair, can determine whether or not the associated map of profinite completions $\hat{u}: \widehat{P} \to \widehatΓ$ is an isomorphism. Nor do there exist algorithms that can decide whether $\hat{u}$ is surjective, or whether $\widehat{P}$ is isomorphic to $\widehatΓ$.
In the first half of this paper, we outline the construction of a new class of abelian pro-$p$ groups, which covers all countably-based pro-$p$ groups. In the second half, we study them, and classify them up to topological isomorphism and abstract isomorphism. We use Ulm's classification of discrete countable p-groups, which are the Pontryagin duals of such pro-$p$ groups. It emerges that they are all abstractly isomorphic to Cartesian products of finite groups and $p$-adic integers. We have thus constructed uncountably many pairwise topologically non-isomorphic profinite groups abstractly iso…
We exhibit infinitely many pairs of non-isomorphic finitely presented, residually finite groups $Δ$ and $Γ$ with $Δ$ having Property FA, $Γ$ having a non-trivial action on a tree and $Δ$ and $Γ$ having isomorphic profinite completions.
Groups that can be approximated by finite groups have been the center of much research. This has led to the investigations of the subgroups of metric ultraproducts of finite groups. This paper attempts to study the dual problem: what are the quotients of ultraproducts of finite groups? Since an ultraproduct is an abstract quotient of the direct product, this also led to a more general question: what are the abstract quotients of profinite groups? Certain cases were already well-studied. For example, if we have a pro-solvable group, then it is well-known that any finite abstract quotients are s…
We present novel constructions concerning the homology of finitely generated groups. Each construction draws on ideas of Gilbert Baumslag. There is a finitely presented acyclic group $U$ such that $U$ has no proper subgroups of finite index and every finitely presented group can be embedded in $U$. There is no algorithm that can determine whether or not a finitely presentable subgroup of a residually finite, biautomatic group is perfect. For every recursively presented abelian group $A$ there exists a pair of groups $i:P_A\hookrightarrow G_A$ such that $i$ induces an isomorphism of profinite c…
We study profinite actions of residually finite groups in terms of weak containment. We show that two strongly ergodic profinite actions of a group are weakly equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic. This allows us to construct continuum many pairwise weakly inequivalent free actions of a large class of groups, including free groups and linear groups with property (T). We also prove that for chains of subgroups of finite index, Lubotzky's property ($τ$) is inherited when taking the intersection with a fixed subgroup of finite index. That this is not true for families of subgroups in gene…
We show that the pair given by the power set and by the "Grassmannian"(set of all subgroups) of an arbitrary group behaves very much like the pair given by a projective space and its dual projective space. More precisely, we generalize several results from preceding joint work with M. Kinyon (arXiv:0903.5441), which concerned abelian groups, to the case of general non-abelian groups. Most notably, pairs of subgroups parametrize torsor and semitorsor structures on the power set. The rôle of associative algebras and -pairs from loc. cit. is now taken by analogs of near-rings.
The following problem was originally posed by B.H. Neumann and H. Neumann. Suppose that a group $G$ can be generated by $n$ elements and that $H$ is a homomorphic image of $G$. Does there exist, for every generating $n$-tuple $(h_1,\ldots, h_n)$ of $H$, a homomorphism $\vartheta \colon G \to H$ and a generating $n$-tuple $(g_1,\ldots,g_n)$ of $G$ such that $(g_1^\vartheta,\ldots,g_n^\vartheta) = (h_1,\ldots,h_n)$? M.J. Dunwoody gave a negative answer to this question, by means of a carefully engineered construction of an explicit pair of soluble groups. Via a new approach we produce, for $n = …
A well known question of Gromov asks whether every one-ended hyperbolic group $Γ$ has a surface subgroup. We give a positive answer when $Γ$ is the fundamental group of a graph of free groups with cyclic edge groups. As a result, Gromov's question is reduced (modulo a technical assumption on 2-torsion) to the case when $Γ$ is rigid. We also find surface subgroups in limit groups. It follows that a limit group with the same profinite completion as a free group must in fact be free, which answers a question of Remeslennikov in this case.
We define symmetric spaces in arbitrary dimension and over arbitrary non-discrete topological fields $\K$, and we construct manifolds and symmetric spaces associated to topological continuous quasi-inverse Jordan pairs and -triple systems. This class of spaces, called smooth generalized projective geometries, generalizes the well-known (finite or infinite-dimensional) bounded symmetric domains as well as their ``compact-like'' duals. An interpretation of such geometries as models of Quantum Mechanics is proposed, and particular attention is paid to geometries that might be considered as "stand…
