A generalized Baumslag-Solitar group is the fundamental group of a graph of groups all of whose vertex and edge groups are infinite cyclic. Levitt proves that any generalized Baumslag-Solitar group has property R-infinity, that is, any automorphism has an infinite number of twisted conjugacy classes. We show that any group quasi-isometric to a generalized Baumslag-Solitar group also has property R-infinity. This extends work of the authors proving that any group quasi-isometric to a solvable Baumslag-Solitar BS(1,n) group has property R-infinity, and relies on the classification of generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups given by Whyte.
We study the structure of generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups from the point of view of their (usually non-unique) splittings as fundamental groups of graphs of infinite cyclic groups. We find and characterize certain decompositions of smallest complexity (`fully reduced' decompositions) and give a simplified proof of the existence of deformations. We also prove a finiteness theorem and solve the isomorphism problem for generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups with no non-trivial integral moduli.
We determine all generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups (finitely generated groups acting on a tree with all stabilizers infinite cyclic) which are quotients of a given Baumslag-Solitar group BS(m,n), and (when BS(m,n) is not Hopfian) which of them also admit BS(m,n) as a quotient. We determine for which values of r,s one may embed BS(r,s) into a given BS(m,n), and we characterize finitely generated groups which embed into some BS(n,n).
We say that a group has property $R_{\infty}$ if any group automorphism has an infinite number of twisted conjugacy classes. Fel'shtyn and Goncalves prove that the solvable Baumslag-Solitar groups BS(1,m) have property $R_{\infty}$. We define a solvable generalization $Γ(S)$ of these groups which we show to have property $R_{\infty}$. We then show that property $R_{\infty}$ is geometric for these groups, that is, any group quasi-isometric to $Γ(S)$ has property $R_{\infty}$ as well.
This paper has two parts, on Baumslag-Solitar groups and on general G-trees. In the first part we establish bounds for stable commutator length (scl) in Baumslag-Solitar groups. For a certain class of elements, we further show that scl is computable and takes rational values. We also determine exactly which of these elements admit extremal surfaces. In the second part we establish a universal lower bound of 1/12 for scl of suitable elements of any group acting on a tree. This is achieved by constructing efficient quasimorphisms. Calculations in the group BS(2,3) show that this is the best poss…
In this paper we classify Baumslag-Solitar groups up to commensurability. In order to prove our main result we give a solution to the isomorphism problem for a subclass of Generalised Baumslag-Solitar groups.
Let BS(1,n)= < a,b: aba^{-1}=b^n >. We prove that any finitely-generated group quasi-isometric to BS(1,n) is (up to finite groups) isomorphic to BS(1,n). We also show that any uniform group of quasisimilarities of the real line is bilipschitz conjugate to an affine group.
Generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups are defined as fundamental groups of graphs of groups with infinite cyclic vertex and edge groups. Forester proved (in "On uniqueness of JSJ decompositions of finitely generated groups", Comment. Math. Helv. 78 (2003) pp 740-751) that in most cases the defining graphs are cyclic JSJ decompositions, in the sense of Rips and Sela. Here we extend Forester's results to graphs of groups with vertex groups that can be either infinite cyclic or quadratically hanging surface groups.
A generalized Baumslag-Solitar group (GBS group) is a finitely generated group $G$ which acts on a tree with all edge and vertex stabilizers infinite cyclic. We show that Out(G) either contains non-abelian free groups or is virtually nilpotent of class at most 2. It has torsion only at finitely many primes. One may decide algorithmically whether Out(G) is virtually nilpotent or not. If it is, one may decide whether it is virtually abelian, or finitely generated. The isomorphism problem is solvable among GBS groups with Out(G) virtually nilpotent. If $G$ is unimodular (virtually $F_n \times Z$)…
The arguments of Cannon, Floyd, Grayson and Thurston showing that solve geometry groups are not almost convex also show that solvable Baumslag-Solitar groups are not almost convex.
For an element in $BS(1,n) = \langle t,a | tat^{-1} = a^n \rangle$ written in the normal form $t^{-u}a^vt^w$ with $u,w \geq 0$ and $v \in \mathbb{Z}$, we exhibit a geodesic word representing the element and give a formula for its word length with respect to the generating set $\{t,a\}$. Using this word length formula, we prove that there are sets of elements of positive density of positive, negative and zero conjugation curvature, as defined by Bar Natan, Duchin and Kropholler.
Any non-residually finite Baumslag-Solitar group has a non-residually finite image in the abstract commensuration of a nonabelian free group. This gives a new proof (avoiding Britton's Lemma) of the classification of residually finite Baumslag-Solitar groups.
We compute estimates for the word metric of Baumslag--Solitar groups in terms of the Britton's lemma normal form. As a corollary, we find lower bounds for the growth rate for the groups $BS(p,q)$, with $1<p\le q$.
We find the lower central series for residually nilpotent Baumslag-Solitar groups, and find the intersection of all terms of the lower central series. Also, we find non-abelian Bauslag-Solitar groups for which the lower central series has length 2. For some Baumslag-Solitar groups a connection is found between the intersection of all subgroups of finite index and the intersection of all terms of the lower central series.
A generalized Baumslag-Solitar (GBS) group is a finitely generated group acting on a tree with infinite cyclic edge and vertex stabilizers. We show how to determine effectively the rank (minimal cardinality of a generating set) of a GBS group; as a consequence, one can compute the rank of the mapping torus of a finite order outer automorphism of a free group $F_n$. We also show that the rank of a finite index subgroup of a GBS group G cannot be smaller than the rank of G. We determine which GBS groups are large (some finite index subgroup maps onto $F_2$), and we solve the commensurability pro…
We present an algorithm to convert a word of length $n$ in the standard generators of the solvable Baumslag-Solitar group $BS(1,p)$ into a geodesic word, which runs in linear time and $O(n\log n)$ space on a random access machine.
We give an exact formula for the number of normal subgroups of each finite index in the Baumslag-Solitar group BS(p,q) when p and q are coprime. Unlike the formula for all finite index subgroups, this one distinguishes different Baumslag-Solitar groups and is not multiplicative. This allows us to give an example of a finitely generated profinite group which is not virtually pronilpotent but whose zeta function has an Euler product.
The Baumslag-Solitar groups and their certain variations are a-T-menable. This is proved by embeding them into topological groups and studying representation theoretic properties of the latter. The paper is motivated by the questions of A. Valette.
Let $ϕ:G \to G$ be a group endomorphism where $G$ is a finitely generated group of exponential growth, and denote by $R(ϕ)$ the number of twisted $ϕ$-conjugacy classes. Fel'shtyn and Hill \cite{fel-hill} conjectured that if $ϕ$ is injective, then $R(ϕ)$ is infinite. This conjecture is true for automorphisms of non-elementary Gromov hyperbolic groups, see \cite{ll} and \cite {fel:1}. It was showed in \cite {gw:2} that the conjecture does not hold in general. Nevertheless in this paper, we show that the conjecture holds for the Baumslag-Solitar groups $B(m,n)$, where either $|m|$ or $|n|$ is gre…
We give a language of unique geodesic normal forms for the Baumslag-Solitar group BS(1,2) that is context-free and 1-counter. We discuss the classes of context-free, 1-counter and counter languages, and explain how they are inter-related.
To an ergodic, essentially free and measure-preserving action of a non-amenable Baumslag-Solitar group on a standard probability space, a flow is associated. The isomorphism class of the flow is shown to be an invariant of such actions of Baumslag-Solitar groups under weak orbit equivalence. Results on groups which are measure equivalent to Baumslag-Solitar groups are also provided.
Let $Γ=\langle a,b | a b^{p} a^{-1} = b^{q}\rangle$ be a Baumslag--Solitar group and $G$ be a complex reductive algebraic group with maximal compact subgroup $K<G$. We show that, when $p$ and $q$ are relatively prime with distinct absolute values, there is a strong deformation retraction retraction of $Hom(Γ,G)$ onto $Hom(Γ,K)$.
We prove that for any natural n>1, the abstract commensurator group of the Baumslag - Solitar group BS(1,n) is isomorphic to the group of 2 by 2 upper triangular matrices A over rational numbers with A_{11}=1. We also prove that for any finitely generated group G with the unique root property the natural homomorphisms Aut(G)--> Comm(G)--> QI(G) are embeddings.
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.
Similarly to the action of $Out(F_N)$ on Outer Space, the outer automorphism group of a Generalized Baumslag Solitar group acts on a deformation space endowed with the Lipschitz metric and the action of any fully irreducible automorphism with a train track representative is hyperbolic. Inspired by previous work by Algom-Kfir, we prove that the axis of such an automorphism is strongly contracting.
We investigate the solution sets to equations in the solvable Baumslag-Solitar groups $BS(1,k)$, $k\geq2$, and show that these sets are represented by EDT0L languages in some cases. In particular, we prove that the multiplication table of such a group forms an EDT0L language with respect to a specific natural normal form for group elements.
A group $G$ has the $R_{\infty}$--property if the number $R(φ)$ of twisted conjugacy classes is infinite for any automorphism $φ$ of $G$. For such a group $G$, the $R_{\infty}$--nilpotency index is the least integer $c$ such that $G/γ_{c+1}(G)$ still has the $R_\infty$--property. In this paper, we determine the $R_{\infty}$--nilpotency degree of all Baumslag--Solitar groups.
We study qualitative properties of the group von Neumann algebra of a Baumslag-Solitar group. Namely, we prove that, in the non-amenable and {ICC} case, the associated ${\rm II}_1$ factor is prime, not solid, and does not have any Cartan subalgebra.
For a Baumslag-Solitar group $G$ we calculate the intersection $γ_w(G)$ of all terms of the lower central sequence of $G$.Using this we are able to show that $[γ_w(G),G]=γ_w(G)$ thus answering a question of Bardakov and Neschadim. Finally we show that the quotient groups $γ_c(G)/γ_{c+1}(G)$ of the lower central series of $G$ are finite.
We compute the Bieri-Neumann-Strebel invariants $Σ^1$ for the generalized solvable Baumslag-Solitar groups $Γ_n$ and their finite index subgroups. Using $Σ^1$, we show that certain finite index subgroups of $Γ_n$ cannot be isomorphic to $Γ_{k}$ for any $k$. In addition, we use the BNS-invariants to give a new proof of property $R_\infty$ for the groups $Γ_n$ and their finite index subgroups.
We define fully irreducible automorphisms of generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups in analogy with fully irreducible automorphisms of free groups. We first obtain a characterization of fully irreducible automorphisms analogous to a condition given by Kapovich. Next we discuss the existence of pseudo-periodic conjugacy classes based on the study of Nielsen paths in a train track representative. Finally we give an algorithm which finds out whether an automorphism with a train track representative is pseudo-atoroidal and fully irreducible.
In this paper we give necessary conditions on group presentations, with two generators and one relator, in order to be the group of a virtual knot diagram. Although those conditions are not enough, we use them to determine, completely, whether or not a Baumslag-Solitar group is the group of a $2$-bridge virtual knot. Moreover, we present a combinatorial proof of the fact that these groups are not $2$-bridge classical knot groups.
Let $G$ be a group. If an equation $x^n = y^n$ in $G$ implies $x = y$ for any elements $x$ and $y$, then $G$ is called an $R$--group. It is completely understood which knot groups are $R$--groups. Fay and Walls introduced $\bar{R}$--group in which the normalizer and the centralizer of an isolator of $\langle x \rangle$ coincide for any non-trivial element $x$. It is known that $\bar{R}$--groups and $R$--groups share many interesting properties and $\bar{R}$--groups are necessarily $R$--groups. However, in general, the converse does not hold. We will prove that these classes are the same for kn…
Our main result is that many triangles of Baumslag-Solitar groups collapse to finite groups, generalizing a famous example of Hirsch. A triangle of Baumslag-Solitar groups means a group with three generators, cyclically ordered, with each generator conjugating some power of the previous one to another power. There are six parameters, occurring in pairs, and we show that the triangle fails to be developable whenever one of the parameters divides its partner, except for a few special cases. Furthermore, under fairly general conditions, the group turns out to be finite and solvable of class<4. We…
In this paper we give asymptotics for the conjugacy growth of the soluble Baumslag-Solitar groups $BS(1,k)$, $k\geq 2$, with respect to the standard generating set, by providing a complete description of geodesic conjugacy representatives. We show that the conjugacy growth series for these groups are transcendental, and give formulas for the series. As a result of our computation we also establish that in each $BS(1,k)$ the conjugacy and standard growth rates are equal.
In this note we characterise all finitely generated groups elementarily equivalent to a solvable Baumslag-Solitar group BS$(1,n)$. It turns out that a finitely generated group $G$ is elementarily equivalent to BS$(1,n)$ if and only if $G$ is isomorphic to BS$(1,n)$. Furthermore, we show that two Baumslag-Solitar groups are existentially (universally) equivalent if and only if they are elementarily equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic.
We classify the finite-dimensional irreducible linear representations of the Baumslag-Solitar groups BS(p,q) = < a, b | a b^p = b^q a > for relatively prime p and q. The general strategy of the argument is to consider the matrix group given by image of a representation and study its Zariski closure in GL(n, C).
In analogy with the free factors of a free group we define special factors of Generalized Baumslag-Solitar (GBS) groups as non-cyclic subgroups which appear in splittings over infinite cyclic groups. We give an algorithm which, given a GBS group $G$ and an element $g \in G$, decides whether there exists a special factor $H < G$ such that $g \in H$. This algorithm is analogous to an algorithm by Whitehead for free groups. Furthermore we prove that given $g \in G$ there exists a unique minimal special factor containing $g$ and give an algorithm which finds it.
We consider random walks on non-amenable Baumslag-Solitar groups BS(p,q) and describe their Poisson-Furstenberg boundary. The latter is a probabilistic model for the long-time behaviour of the random walk. In our situation, we identify it in terms of the space of ends of the Bass-Serre tree and the real line using Kaimanovich's strip criterion.
Suzuki recently gave constructions of non-discrete examples of locally compact C*-simple groups and Raum showed C*-simplicity of the relative profinite completions of the Baumslag-Solitar groups by using Suzuki's results. We extend this result to some fundamental groups of graphs of groups called generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups. In this article, we focus on some sufficient condition to show that these locally compact groups are C*-simple and that KMS-weights of these reduced group C*-algebras are unique. This condition is an analogue of the Powers averaging property of discrete groups and …
We study convergent sequences of Baumslag-Solitar groups in the space of marked groups. We prove that BS(m,n) --> F_2 for |m|,|n| --> \infty and BS(1,n) --> Z \wr Z for |n| --> \infty. For m fixed, |m|>1, we show that the sequence (BS(m,n))_n is not convergent and characterize many convergent subsequences. Moreover if X_m is the set of BS(m,n)'s for n relatively prime to m and |n|>1, then the map BS(m,n) \mapsto n extends continuously on the closure of X_m to a surjection onto invertible m-adic integers.
We study the HNN extension of $\mathbb{Z}^m$ given by the cubing endomorphism $g\mapsto g^3$, and prove that such groups have rational growth. To do so, we describe a method of computing the subgroup growth series of the horocyclic subgroup $\mathbb{Z}^m$ in this family of examples, prove that for all $m$ the group has rational growth. In the appendix, the subgroup growth series has been computed for all $m \leq 10$.
