We construct and study finitely presented groups with quadratic Dehn function (QD-groups) and present the following applications of the method developed in our recent papers. (1) The isomorphism problem is undecidable in the class of QD-groups. (2) For every recursive function $f$, there is a QD-group $G$ containing a finitely presented subgroup $H$ whose Dehn function grows faster than $f$. (3) There exists a group with undecidable conjugacy problem but decidable power conjugacy problem; this group is QD.
We construct a finitely presented group with undecidable word problem and with Dehn function bounded by a quadratic function on an infinite set of positive integers.
We prove that groups in a certain class of metabelian locally compact groups, have quadratic Dehn function. As an application, we embed the solvable Baumslag-Solitar groups into finitely presented metabelian groups with quadratic Dehn function. Also, we prove that Baumslag's finitely presented metabelian groups, in which the lamplighter groups embed, have quadratic Dehn function.
We construct the first examples of finitely presented groups with quadratic Dehn function containing a finitely generated infinite torsion subgroup. These examples are "optimal" in the sense that the Dehn function of any such finitely presented group must be at least quadratic. Moreover, we show that for any $n\geq2^{48}$ such that $n$ is either odd or divisible by $2^9$, any infinite free Burnside group with exponent $n$ is a quasi-isometrically embedded subgroup of a finitely presented group with quadratic Dehn function satisfying the Congruence Extension Property.
We construct a finitely presented group with quadratic Dehn function and undecidable conjugacy problem. This solves E. Rips' problem formulated in 1992. v2: misprints corrected. v3: lemmas 4.7, 4.10 corrected, more misprints fixed.
For an amalgam of two free groups and a particular kind of automorphism, we show that the Dehn function of the corresponding mapping torus is quadratic.
A criterion for quadratic or higher growth of group automorphisms is established which are represented by graph-of-groups automorphisms with certain well specified properties. As a consequence, it is derived (using results of a previous paper of the author) that every partial Dehn twist automorphism of $\FN$ relative to local Dehn twist automorphisms is either an honest Dehn twist automorphism, or else has quadratic growth.
We prove that the Dehn function of a group of Stallings that is finitely presented but not of type F_3 is quadratic. To appear in Geometric and Functional Analysis.
Gromov conjectured that any irreducible lattice in a symmetric space of rank at least 3 should have at most polynomial Dehn function. We prove that the lattice Sp(2p;Z) has quadratic Dehn function when p is at least 5. By results of Broaddus, Farb, and Putman, this implies that the Torelli group in large genus is at most exponentially distorted.
Let $Γ$ be a finite simplicial graph such that the flag complex on $Γ$ is a $2$-dimensional triangulated disk. We show that with some assumptions, the Dehn function of the associated Bestvina--Brady group is either quadratic, cubic, or quartic. Furthermore, we can identify the Dehn function from the defining graph $Γ$.
The Dehn function measures the area of minimal discs that fill closed curves in a space; it is an important invariant in analysis, geometry, and geometric group theory. There are several equivalent ways to define the Dehn function, varying according to the type of disc used. In this paper, we introduce a new definition of the Dehn function and use it to prove several theorems. First, we generalize the quasi-isometry invariance of the Dehn function to a broad class of spaces. Second, we prove Hölder extension properties for spaces with quadratic Dehn function and their asymptotic cones. Finally…
Baumslag's group is a finitely presented metabelian group with a Z \wr Z subgroup. There is an analogue with an additional torsion relation in which this subgroup becomes C_m \wr Z. We prove that Baumslag's group has an exponential Dehn function. This contrasts with the torsion analogues which have quadratic Dehn functions. v.2: version for publication, incorporating referee's suggestions.
We prove that Abels' group over an arbitrary nondiscrete locally compact field has a quadratic Dehn function. As applications, we exhibit connected Lie groups and polycyclic groups whose asymptotic cones have uncountable abelian fundamental group. We also obtain, from the case of finite characteristic, uncountably many non-quasi-isometric finitely generated solvable groups, as well as peculiar examples of fundamental groups of asymptotic cones.
We solve Dehn's isomorphism problem for virtually torsion-free relatively hyperbolic groups with nilpotent parabolic subgroups. We do so by reducing the isomorphism problem to three algorithmic problems in the parabolic subgroups, namely the isomorphism problem, separation of torsion (in their outer automorphism groups) by congruences, and the mixed Whitehead problem, an automorphism group orbit problem. The first step of the reduction is to compute canonical JSJ decompositions. Dehn fillings and the given solutions of the algorithmic problems in the parabolic groups are then used to decide if…
In this paper we further study properties of Magnus embedding, give a precise reducibility diagram for Dehn problems in groups of the form $F/N^{(d)}$, and provide a detailed answer to Problem 12.98 in Kourovka notebook. We also show that most of the reductions are polynomial time reductions and can be used in practical computation.
We address the problem of which functions can arise as Dehn functions of Kähler groups. We explain why there are examples of Kähler groups with linear, quadratic, and exponential Dehn function. We then proceed to show that there is an example of a Kähler group which has Dehn function bounded below by a cubic function and above by $n^6$. As a consequence we obtain that for a compact Kähler manifold having non-positive holomorphic bisectional curvature does not imply having quadratic Dehn function.
We prove super-quadratic lower bounds for the growth of the filling area function of a certain class of Carnot groups. This class contains groups for which it is known that their Dehn function grows no faster than $n^2\log n$. We therefore obtain the existence of (finitely generated) nilpotent groups whose Dehn functions do not have exactly polynomial growth and we thus answer a well-known question about the possible growth rate of Dehn functions of nilpotent groups.
We show that the Dehn function of the handlebody group is exponential in any genus $g\geq 3$. On the other hand, we show that the handlebody group of genus $2$ is cubical, biautomatic, and therefore has a quadratic Dehn function.
This is a survey of the recent work in algorithmic and asymptotic properties of groups. I discuss Dehn functions of groups, complexity of the word problem, Higman embeddings, and constructions of finitely presented groups with extreme properties (monsters).
We prove that when n >= 5, the Dehn function of SL(n;Z) is quadratic. The proof involves decomposing a disc in SL(n;R)/SO(n) into triangles of varying sizes. By mapping these triangles into SL(n;Z) and replacing large elementary matrices by "shortcuts," we obtain words of a particular form, and we use combinatorial techniques to fill these loops.
A homogeneous nilpotent Lie group has a scaling automorphism determined by a grading of its Lie algebra. Many proofs of upper bounds for the Dehn function of such a group depend on being able to fill curves with discs compatible with this grading; the area of such discs changes predictably under the scaling automorphism. In this paper, we present combinatorial methods for finding such bounds. Using this method, we give new proofs of some results on Dehn functions of nilpotent groups, prove theorems on central powers and certain quotients of nilpotent groups, and construct the first example of …
We give an infinite family of monoids $Π_N$ (for $N=2, 3, \dots$), each with a single defining relation of the form $bUa = a$, such that the Dehn function of $Π_N$ is at least exponential. More precisely, we prove that the Dehn function $\partial_N(n)$ of $Π_N$ satisfies $\partial_N(n) \succeq N^{n/4}$. This answers negatively a question posed by Cain & Maltcev in 2013 on whether every monoid defined by a single relation of the form $bUa=a$ has quadratic Dehn function. Finally, by using the decidability of the rational subset membership problem in the metabelian Baumslag--Solitar groups $\oper…
We construct the first examples of an algorithmically complex finitely presented residually finite groups and first examples of finitely presented residually finite groups with arbitrarily large (recursive) Dehn function and depth function. The groups are solvable of class 3. We also prove that the universal theory of finite solvable of class 3 groups is undecidable.
We prove that $n^{7/3}$ is an isoperimetric function for a group of Stallings that is finitely presented but not of type $\mathcal{F}_3$. Note: The authors with Robert Young have now proved a quadratic Dehn function for this group. See arXiv:0712.3877
We demonstrate under appropriate finiteness conditions that a coarse embedding induces an inequality of homological Dehn functions. Applications of the main results include a characterization of what finitely presentable groups may admit a coarse embedding into a hyperbolic group of geometric dimension $2$, characterizations of finitely presentable subgroups of groups with quadratic Dehn function with geometric dimension $2$, and to coarse embeddings of nilpotent groups into other nilpotent groups of the same growth and into hyperbolic groups.
We prove that when n>=5, the Dehn function of SL(n,Z) is at most quartic. The proof involves decomposing a disc in SL(n,R)/SO(n) into a quadratic number of loops in generalized Siegel sets. By mapping these loops into SL(n,Z) and replacing large elementary matrices by "shortcuts," we obtain words of a particular form, and we use combinatorial techniques to fill these loops.
We prove that monoids $\mathrm{Mon}\langle a,b,c,d : a^nb=0, ac=1, db=1, dc=1, dab=1, da^2b=1, \ldots, da^{n-1}b=1\rangle$ are congruence-free for all $n\geq 1$. This provides a new countable family of finitely presented congruence-free monoids, bringing one step closer to understanding the Boone--Higman Conjecture. We also provide examples which show that finitely presented congruence-free monoids may have quadratic Dehn function.
A discrete group with word-length (G,L) is B-isocohomological for a bounding classes B if the comparison map from B-bounded cohomology to ordinary cohomology (with complex coefficients) is an isomorphism; it is strongly B-isocohomological if the same is true with arbitrary coefficients. In this paper we establish some basic conditions guaranteeing strong B-isocohomologicality. In particular, we show strong B-isocohomologicality for an $FP^{\infty}$ group G if all of the weighted G-sensitive Dehn functions are B-bounded. Such groups include all B-asynchronously combable groups; moreover, the cl…
Stackability for finitely presented groups consists of a dynamical system that iteratively moves paths into a maximal tree in the Cayley graph. Combining with formal language theoretic restrictions yields auto- or algorithmic stackability, which implies solvability of the word problem. In this paper we give two new characterizations of the stackable property for groups, and use these to show that every HNN extension of a stackable group is stackable. We apply this to exhibit a wide range of Dehn functions that are admitted by stackable and autostackable groups, as well as an example of a stack…
In contrast to being automatic, being Cayley automatic \emph{a priori} has no geometric consequences. Specifically, Cayley graphs of automatic groups enjoy a fellow traveler property. Here we study a distance function introduced by the first author and Trakuldit which aims to measure how far a Cayley automatic group is from being automatic, in terms of how badly the Cayley graph fails the fellow traveler property. The first author and Trakuldit showed that if it fails by at most a constant amount, then the group is in fact automatic. In this article we show that for a large class of non-automa…
We investigate groups whose Cayley graphs have poor\-ly connected subgraphs. We prove that a finitely generated group has bounded separation in the sense of Benjamini--Schramm--Timár if and only if it is virtually free. We then prove a gap theorem for connectivity of finitely presented groups, and prove that there is no comparable theorem for all finitely generated groups. Finally, we formulate a connectivity version of the conjecture that every group of type $F$ with no Baumslag-Solitar subgroup is hyperbolic, and prove it for groups with at most quadratic Dehn function.
