Let $\mathcal G$ denote the space of finitely generated marked groups. We give equivalent characterizations of closed subspaces $\mathcal S\subseteq \mathcal G$ satisfying the following zero-one law: for any sentence $σ$ in the infinitary logic $\mathcal L_{ω_1, ω}$, the set of all models of $σ$ in $\mathcal S$ is either meager or comeager. In particular, we show that the zero-one law holds for certain natural spaces associated to hyperbolic groups and their generalizations. As an application, we obtain that generic torsion-free lacunary hyperbolic groups are elementarily equivalent; the same claim holds for lacunary hyperbolic groups without non-trivial finite normal subgroups. Our paper has a substantial expository component. We give streamlined proofs of some known results and survey ideas from topology, logic, and geometric group theory relevant to our work. We also discuss some open problems.
This paper has two main parts. In the first part we develop an elementary coordinatization for any nilpotent group $G$ taking exponents in a binomial principal ideal domain (PID) $A$. In case that the additive group $A^+$ of $A$ is finitely generated we prove using a classical result of Julia Robinson that one can obtain a central series for $G$ where the action of the ring of integers $\Z$ on the quotients of each of the consecutive terms of the series except for one very specific gap, called the special gap, is interpretable in $G$. Then we use a refinement of this central series to give a c…
In this paper we study a relationship between elementary equivalence of endomorphism rings of Abelian p-groups and second order equivalence of the corresponding Abelian p-groups.
We prove that two co-Hopfian finitely generated virtually free groups are elementarily equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic. We also prove that co-Hopfian finitely generated virtually free groups are homogeneous in the sense of model theory.
The following properties are preserved under elementary equivalence, among finitely generated groups: being hyperbolic (possibly with torsion), being hyperbolic and cubulable, and being a subgroup of a hyperbolic group. In other words, if a finitely generated group G has the same first-order theory as a group possessing one of the previous property, then G enjoys this property as well.
Consider unbounded reduced Abelian p-groups (p > 2) A and A'. In this paper, we prove that if the automorphism groups Aut A and Aut A' are elementary equivalent then the groups A and A' are equivalent in the second order logic bounded by the final rank of the basic subgroups of A and A'.
We give a description of elementary subgroups (in the sense of first-order logic) of finitely generated virtually free groups. In particular, we recover the fact that elementary subgroups of finitely generated free groups are free factors. Moreover, we give an algorithm that takes as input a finite presentation of a virtually free group $G$ and a finite subset $X$ of $G$, and decides if the subgroup of $G$ generated by $X$ is $\exists\forall\exists$-elementary. We also prove that every elementary embedding of an equationally noetherian group into itself is an automorphism.
We demonstrate the existence of a family of finitely generated subgroups of Richard Thompson's group $F$ which is strictly well-ordered by the embeddability relation in type $ε_0 +1$. All except the maximum element of this family (which is $F$ itself) are elementary amenable groups. In fact we also obtain, for each $α< ε_0$, a finitely generated elementary amenable subgroup of $F$ whose EA-class is $α+ 2$. These groups all have simple, explicit descriptions and can be viewed as a natural continuation of the progression which starts with $\mathbf{Z} + \mathbf{Z}$, $\mathbf{Z} \wr \mathbf{Z}$, a…
We study to what extent torsion-free (Gromov)-hyperbolic groups are elementarily equivalent to their finite index subgroups. In particular, we prove that a hyperbolic limit group either is a free product of cyclic groups and surface groups, or admits infinitely many subgroups of finite index which are pairwise non elementarily equivalent.
It is proved that (elementary) Chevalley groups $G_π(Φ,K)$ and $G_{π'}(Φ',K')$ (or $E_π(Φ,K)$ and $E_{π'}(Φ',K'))$ over infinite fields $K$ and $K'$ of characteristics $\ne 2$, with weight lattices $Λ$ and $Λ'$, respectively, are elementarily equivalent if and only if the root systems $Φ$ and $Φ'$ are isomorphic, the fields $K$ and $K'$ are elementarily equivalent, the lattices $Λ$ and $Λ'$ coincide.
We show that graph products of finite abelian groups are elementarily equivalent if and only if they are $\exists\forall$-equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic. In particular, two right-angled Coxeter groups are elementarily equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic.
We show that certain lamplighter groups that are quasi-isometric to each other are not bilipschitz equivalent. This gives a positive answer to a question in Topics in Geometric Group Theory by Pierre de la Harpe (page 107).
Irreducible Artin groups of finite type can be parametrized via their associated Coxeter diagrams into six sporadic examples and four infinite families, each of which is further parametrized by the natural numbers. Within each of these four infinite families, we investigate the relationship between elementary equivalence and isomorphism. For three out of the four families, we show that two groups in the same family are equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic; a positive, but weaker, result is also attained for the fourth family. In particular, we show that two braid groups are elementari…
We prove that any finitely generated elementary amenable group of zero (algebraic) entropy contains a nilpotent subgroup of finite index or, equivalently, any finitely generated elementary amenable group of exponential growth is of uniformly exponential growth. We also show that 0 is an accumulation point of the set of entropies of elementary amenable groups.
We give an algebraic characterization of elementary equivalence for polycyclic-by-finite groups. Using this characterization, we investigate the relations between their elementary equivalence and the elementary equivalence of the factors in their decompositions in direct products of indecomposable groups. In particular we prove that the elementary equivalence of two such groups G,H is equivalent to each of the following properties: 1)Gx...xG (k times G) and Hx...xG (k times H) are elementarily equivalent for a strictly positive integer k; 2)AxG and AxH are elementarily equivalent for two eleme…
We classify the Morita equivalence classes of blocks with elementary abelian defect groups of order $16$ with respect to a complete discrete valuation ring with algebraically closed residue field of characteristic two. As a consequence, blocks with this defect group are derived equivalent to their Brauer correspondent in the normalizer of a defect group and so satisfy Broué's Conjecture.
Motivated by a question of A. Rapinchuk concerning general reductive groups, we are investigating the following question: Given a finitely generated integral domain $R$ with field of fractions $F$, is there a \emph{finitely generated subgroup} $Γ$ of $SL_2(F)$ containing $SL_2(R)$? We shall show in this paper that the answer to this question is negative for any polynomial ring $R$ of the form $R = R_0[s,t]$, where $R_0$ is a finitely generated integral domain with infinitely many (non--associate) prime elements. The proof applies Bass--Serre theory and reduces to analyzing which elements of $S…
We prove that non-abelian free groups of finite rank at least 3 or of countable rank are not $\forall$-homogeneous. We answer three open questions from Kharlampovich, Myasnikov, and Sklinos regarding whether free groups, finitely generated elementary free groups, and non-abelian limit groups form special kinds of Fraïssé classes in which embeddings must preserve $\forall$-formulas. We also provide interesting examples of countable non-finitely generated elementary free groups.
Given a universal elementary Chevalley-Demazure group $E_Φ^{sc}(R)$ for which its (standard) parabolic subgroups are finitely generated, we consider the problem of classifying which parabolics $P(R) \subset E_Φ^{sc}(R)$ are finitely presented. We show that, under mild assumptions, this is equivalent to the finite presentability of a suitable retract of $P$ which contains the Levi factor. If the base ring $R$ is a Dedekind domain of arithmetic type, we combine our results with well-known theorems due to Borel-Serre, Abels, Behr and Bux to give a partial classification of finitely presentable $S…
Let D be a division ring such that the number of conjugacy classes in the multiplicative group D^* is equal to the power of D^*. Suppose that H(V) is the group GL(V) or PGL(V), where V is an infinite-dimensional vector space over D. We prove, in particular, that, uniformly in dim(V) and D, the first-order theory of H(V) is mutually syntactically interpretable with the theory of the two-sorted structure <dim(V),D> (whose only relations are the division ring operations on D) in the second-order logic with quantification over arbitrary relations of power <= dim(V). A certain analogue of this resu…
We present an elementary description of sofic equivalence relations, as well as some permanence properties for soficity. We answer a question by Conley, Kechris and Tucker-Drob of determining soficity in terms of the full group for aperiodic relations.
We consider embeddings in a torsion-free hyperbolic group which are elementary in the sense of first-order logic. We give a description of these embeddings in terms of Sela's hyperbolic towers. We deduce as a corollary that subgroups elementarily embedded in finitely generated free groups are free factors.
This paper is the 10th in a sequence on the structure of sets of solutions to systems of equations over groups, projections of such sets (Diophantine sets), and the structure of definable sets over few classes of groups. In the 10th paper we answer affirmatively a question of R. L. Vaught on the elementary equivalence of free products of pairs of elementarily equivalent groups, and obtain a generalization of Tarski's problem on the elementary equivalence of non-abelian free groups. Finally, we prove that free products of stable groups is stable, generalizing a previous result on the stability …
We classify the Morita equivalence classes of principal blocks with elementary abelian defect groups of order 64 with respect to a complete discrete valuation ring with an algebraically closed residue field of characteristic two.
We describe a general technique to classify blocks of finite groups, and we apply it to determine Morita equivalence classes of blocks with elementary abelian defect groups of order 32 with respect to a complete discrete valuation ring with an algebraically closed residue field of characteristic two. As a consequence we verify that a conjecture of Harada holds on these blocks.
We describe a family of finitely presented groups which are quasi-isometric but not bilipschitz equivalent. The first such examples were described by the first author and are the lamplighter groups $F \wr \mathbb{Z}$ where $F$ is a finite group; these groups are finitely generated but not finitely presented. The examples presented in this paper are higher rank generalizations of these lamplighter groups and include groups that are of type $F_n$ for any $n$.
In this paper, we consider an equivalence relation within the class of finitely presented discrete groups attending to their asymptotic topology rather than their asymptotic geometry. More precisely, we say that two finitely presented groups $G$ and $H$ are "proper $2$-equivalent" if there exist (equivalently, for all) finite $2$-dimensional CW-complexes $X$ and $Y$, with $π_1(X) \cong G$ and $π_1(Y) \cong H$, so that their universal covers $\widetilde{X}$ and $\widetilde{Y}$ are proper $2$-equivalent. It follows that this relation is coarser than the quasi-isometry relation. We point out that…
We prove that the theory of the $p$-adics ${\mathbb Q}_p$ admits elimination of imaginaries provided we add a sort for ${\rm GL}_n({\mathbb Q}_p)/{\rm GL}_n({\mathbb Z}_p)$ for each $n$. We also prove that the elimination of imaginaries is uniform in $p$. Using $p$-adic and motivic integration, we deduce the uniform rationality of certain formal zeta functions arising from definable equivalence relations. This also yields analogous results for definable equivalence relations over local fields of positive characteristic. The appendix contains an alternative proof, using cell decomposition, of t…
Rodaro and Silva proved that the fixed points submonoid and the periodic points submonoid of a trace monoid endomorphism are always finitely generated. We show that for finitely generated left preGarside monoids, that includs finitely generated preGarside monoids, Garside monoids and Artin monoids, the fixed and periodic points submonoids of any endomorphism are also finitely generated left preGarside monoids under some condition, and in the case of Artin monoids, these submonoids are always Artin monoids too. We also prove algebraically some inequalities, equivalences and non-equivalences bet…
We generalize some results of Paulin and Rips-Sela on endomorphisms of hyperbolic groups to relatively hyperbolic groups, and in particular prove the following. (1) If G is a finitely generated non-elementary relatively hyperbolic group with slender parabolic subgroups, and either G is not co-Hopfian or Out(G) is infinite, then G splits over a slender group. (2) If a finitely generated non-parabolic subgroup H of a non-elementary relatively hyperbolic group is not Hopfian, then H acts non-trivially on an R-tree. (3) Every non-elementary relatively hyperbolic group has a non-elementary relative…
We establish braided tensor equivalences among module categories over the twisted quantum double of a finite group defined by an extension of a group H by an abelian group, with 3-cocycle inflated from a 3-cocycle on H. We also prove that the canonical ribbon structure of the module category of any twisted quantum double of a finite group is preserved by braided tensor equivalences. We give two main applications: first, if G is an extra-special 2-group of width at least 2, we show that the quantum double of G twisted by a 3-cocycle w is gauge equivalent to a twisted quantum double of an elemen…
We consider groups of automorphisms of locally finite trees, and give conditions on its subgroups that imply that they are not elementary amenable. This covers all known examples of groups that are not elementary amenable and act on the trees: groups of intermediate growths and Basilica group, by giving a more straightforward proof. Moreover, we deduce that all finitely generated branch groups are not elementary amenable, which was conjectured by Grigorchuk.
We first consider three well-known chain conditions in the space of marked groups: the minimal condition on centralizers, the maximal condition on subgroups, and the maximal condition on normal subgroups. For each condition, we produce a characterization in terms of well-founded descriptive-set-theoretic trees. Using these characterizations, we demonstrate that the sets given by these conditions are co-analytic and not Borel in the space of marked groups. We then adapt our techniques to show elementary amenable marked groups may be characterized by well-founded descriptive-set-theoretic trees,…
The Andrews-Curtis conjecture asserts that, for a free group $F_n$ of rank $n$ and a free basis $(x_1,...,x_n)$, any normally generating tuple $(y_1,...,y_n)$ is Andrews-Curtis equivalent to $(x_1,...,x_n)$. This equivalence corresponds to the actions of $\operatorname{Aut}F_n$ and of $F_n$ on normally generating $n$-tuples. The equivalence corresponding to the action of $\operatorname{Aut}F_n$ on generating $n$-tuples is called Nielsen equivalence. The conjecture for arbitrary finitely generated group has its own importance to analyse potential counter-examples to the original conjecture. We …
The first author has recently classified the Morita equivalence classes of 2-blocks B of finite groups with elementary abelian defect group of order 32. In all but three cases he proved that the Morita equivalence class determines the inertial quotient of B. We finish the remaining cases by utilizing the theory of lower defect groups. As a corollary, we verify Broué's Abelian Defect Group Conjecture in this situation.
We show that Cayley graphs of finitely generated Abelian groups are rather rigid. As a consequence we obtain that two finitely generated Abelian groups admit isomorphic Cayley graphs if and only if they have the same rank and their torsion parts have the same cardinality. The proof uses only elementary arguments and is formulated in a geometric language.
We study sets of solutions to equations over a free group, projections of such sets, and the structure of elementary sets defined over a free group. The structre theory we obtain enable us to answer some questions of A. Tarski's, and classify those finitely generated groups that are elementary equivalent to a free group. Connections with low dimensional topology, and a generalization to (Gromov) hyperbolic groups will also be discussed.
It is shown that any finitely generated non-elementary Fuchsian group has among its homomorphic images all but finitely many of the alternating groups. This settles in the affirmative a conjecture of Graham Higman.
It is shown that every accessible group which is integrable orbit equivalent to a free group is virtually free. Moreover, we also show that any integrable orbit-equivalence between finitely generated groups extends to their end compactifications.
A group $G$ is called mixed identity-free if for every $n \in \mathbb{N}$ and every $w \in G \ast F_n$ there exists a homomorphism $φ: G \ast F_n \rightarrow G$ such that $φ$ is the identity on $G$ and $φ(w)$ is nontrivial. In this paper, we make a modification to the construction of elementary amenable lacunary hyperbolic groups given by Ol'shanskii, Osin, and Sapir to produce finitely generated elementary amenable groups which are mixed identity-free. As a byproduct of this construction, we also obtain locally finite $p$-groups which are mixed identity-free.
We prove that if a finitely presented group acts properly discontinuously, cocompactly and by isometries on a simply connected Riemannian manifold, then the Dehn function of the group and the corresponding filling function of the manifold are equivalent, in a sense described below.
A finitely generated group is lacunary hyperbolic if one of its asymptotic cones is an $\mathbb{R}$-tree. In this article we give a necessary and sufficient condition on lacunary hyperbolic groups in order to be stable under free product by giving a dynamical characterization of lacunary hyperbolic groups. Also we studied limits of elementary subgroups as subgroups of lacunary hperbolic groups and characterized them. Given any countable collection of increasing union of elementary groups we show that there exists a lacunary hyperbolic group whose set of all maximal subgroups is the given colle…
A result due to M. Gromov states that any two finitely generated groups Γ and Λ are quasi-isometric if and only if they admit a topological coupling, i.e., a commuting pair of proper continuous cocompact actions $Γ\curvearrowright X\curvearrowleft Λ$ on a locally compact Hausdorff space. This result is extended here to all (compactly generated) locally compact second countable groups.
In this paper we consider the problem of classification of the nilpotent class 2 finitely generated torsion free groups up to the geometric equivalence. By a very easy technique it is proved that this problem is equivalent to the problem of classification of the complete (in the Maltsev sense) nilpotent torsion free finite rank groups up to the isomorphism. This result, allows us to once more comprehend the complication of the problem of the classification of the quasi-varieties of nilpotent class 2 groups. It is well known that the variety of a nilpotent class s (for every s) groups is Noethe…
In this paper we prove a sandwich classification theorem for subgroups of the classical symplectic group over an arbitrary commutative ring $R$ that contain the elementary block-diagonal (or subsystem) subgroup $\operatorname{Ep}(ν, R)$ corresponding to a unitary equivalence realation $ν$ such that all self-conjugate equivalence classes of $ν$ are of size at least 4 and all not-self-conjugate classes of $ν$ are of size at least 5. Namely, given a subgroup $H$ of $\operatorname{Sp}(2n, R)$ such that $\operatorname{Ep}(ν, R) \le H$ we show that there exists a unique exact major form net of ideal…
We show that the standard set of elementary generators of an elementary isotropic reductive group over a connected finitely generated ring is a Kazhdan subset. This generalizes the corresponding result of M. Ershov, A. Jaikin-Zapirain, and M. Kassabov for Chevalley and twisted Chevalley groups.
We construct a finitely presented, infinite, simple group that acts by homeomorphisms on the circle, but does not admit a non-trivial action by $C^1$-diffeomorphisms on the circle. The group emerges as a group of piecewise projective homeomorphisms of $S^1=\mathbf{R}\cup \{\infty\}$. However, we show that it does not admit a non-trivial action by piecewise linear homeomorphisms of the circle. Another interesting and new feature of this example is that it produces a non amenable orbit equivalence relation with respect to the Lebesgue measure.
