We describe an algorithm which determines whether or not a group which is hyperbolic relative to abelian groups admits a nontrivial splitting over a finite group.
We show, using acylindrical hyperbolicity, that a finitely generated group splitting over $\Z$ cannot be simple. We also obtain SQ-universality in most cases, for instance a balanced group (one where if two powers of an infinite order element are conjugate then they are equal or inverse) which is finitely generated and splits over $\Z$ must either be SQ-universal or it is one of exactly seven virtually abelian exceptions.
A JSJ decomposition of a group is a splitting that allows one to classify all possible splittings of the group over a certain family of edge groups. Although JSJ decompositions are not unique in general, Guirardel--Levitt have constructed a canonical JSJ decomposition, the tree of cylinders, which classifies splittings of relatively hyperbolic groups over elementary subgroups. In this paper, we give a new topological construction of the Guirardel--Levitt tree of cylinders, and we show that this tree depends only on the homeomorphism type of the Bowditch boundary. Furthermore, the tree of cylin…
In this paper, we prove a combination theorem for a relatively acylindrical graph of relatively hyperbolic groups (Theorem 1.1). Here, we are extending the technique of [Tom21] and constructing Bowditch boundary of the fundamental group of graph of groups. Suppose G(Y) is a graph of relatively hyperbolic groups such that edge groups are relatively quasi-convex in adjacent vertex groups. Also, assume that the fundamental group of G(Y) is relatively hyperbolic. Then we show that the edge groups of G(Y) have finite relative height (Definition 1.5) if and only if they are relatively quasi-convex (…
We construct hyperbolic groups with the following properties: The boundary of the group has big dimension, it is separated by a Cantor set and the group does not split. This shows that Bowditch's theorem that characterizes splittings of hyperbolic groups over 2-ended groups in terms of the boundary can not be extended to splittings over more complicated subgroups.
We show how to derive hyperbolicity of the free factor complex of $F_N$ from the Handel-Mosher proof of hyperbolicity of the free splitting complex of $F_N$, thus obtaining an alternative proof of a theorem of Bestvina-Feighn. We also show that under the natural map $τ$ from the free splitting complex to free factor complex, a geodesic $[x,y]$ maps to a path that is uniformly Hausdorff-close to a geodesic $[τ(x),τ(y)]$ .
We consider splittings of groups over finite and two-ended subgroups. We study the combinatorics of such splittings using generalisations of Whitehead graphs. In the case of hyperbolic groups, we relate this to the topology of the boundary. In particular, we give a proof that the boundary of a one-ended strongly accessible hyperbolic group has no global cut point.
We prove a general criterion for a metric space to have conformal dimension one. The conditions are stated in terms of the existence of enough local cut points in the space. We then apply this criterion to the boundaries of hyperbolic groups and show an interesting relationship between conformal dimension and some canonical splittings of the group.
Suppose $H$ is a hyperbolic subgroup of a hyperbolic group $G$. Assume there exists $n > 0$ such that the intersection of $n$ essentially distinct conjugates of $H$ is always finite. Further assume $G$ splits over $H$ with hyperbolic vertex and edge groups and the two inclusions of $H$ are quasi-isometric embeddings. Then $H$ is quasiconvex in $G$. This answers a question of Swarup and provides a partial converse to the main theorem of \cite{GMRS}.
We define analogues of the graphs of free splittings, of cyclic splittings, and of maximally-cyclic splittings of $F_N$ for free products of groups, and show their hyperbolicity. Given a countable group $G$ which splits as $G=G_1\ast\dots\ast G_k\ast F$, where $F$ denotes a finitely generated free group, we identify the Gromov boundary of the graph of relative cyclic splittings with the space of equivalence classes of $\mathcal{Z}$-averse trees in the boundary of the corresponding outer space. A tree is \emph{$\mathcal{Z}$-averse} if it is not compatible with any tree $T'$, that is itself comp…
In this paper we show that the existence of a non-parabolic local cut point in the Bowditch boundary $\partial(G,\mathbb{P})$ of a relatively hyperbolic group $(G,\mathbb{P})$ implies that $G$ splits over a $2$-ended subgroup. This theorem generalizes a theorem of Bowditch from the setting of hyperbolic groups to relatively hyperbolic groups. As a consequence we are able to generalize a theorem of Kapovich and Kleiner by classifying the homeomorphism type of $1$-dimensional Bowditch boundaries of relatively hyperbolic groups which satisfy certain properties, such as no splittings over $2$-ende…
Consider a group G and a family $\mathcal{A}$ of subgroups of G. We say that vertex finiteness holds for splittings of G over $\mathcal{A}$ if, up to isomorphism, there are only finitely many possibilities for vertex stabilizers of minimal G-trees with edge stabilizers in $\mathcal{A}$. We show vertex finiteness when G is a toral relatively hyperbolic group and $\mathcal{A}$ is the family of abelian subgroups. We also show vertex finiteness when G is hyperbolic relative to virtually polycyclic subgroups and $\mathcal{A}$ is the family of virtually cyclic subgroups; if moreover G is one-ended, …
Tree-graded spaces are generalizations of R-trees. They appear as asymptotic cones of groups (when the cones have cut points). Since many questions about endomorphisms and automorphisms of groups, solving equations over groups, studying embeddings of a group into another group, etc. lead to actions of groups on the asymptotic cones, it is natural to consider actions of groups on tree-graded spaces. We develop a theory of such actions which generalizes the well known theory of groups acting on R-trees. As applications of our theory, we describe, in particular, relatively hyperbolic groups with …
We study automorphisms of a relatively hyperbolic group G. When G is one-ended, we describe Out(G) using a preferred JSJ tree over subgroups that are virtually cyclic or parabolic. In particular, when G is toral relatively hyperbolic, Out(G) is virtually built out of mapping class groups and subgroups of GL_n(Z) fixing certain basis elements. When more general parabolic groups are allowed, these subgroups of GL_n(Z) have to be replaced by McCool groups: automorphisms of parabolic groups acting trivially (i.e. by conjugation) on certain subgroups. Given a malnormal quasiconvex subgroup P of a h…
The notions of stable and Morse subgroups of finitely generated groups generalize the concept of a quasiconvex subgroup of a word-hyperbolic group. For a word-hyperbolic group $G$, Kapovich provided a partial algorithm which, on input a finite set $S$ of $G$, halts if $S$ generates a quasiconvex subgroup of $G$ and runs forever otherwise. In this paper, we give various detection and decidability algorithms for stability and Morseness of a finitely generated subgroup of mapping class groups, right-angled Artin groups, toral relatively hyperbolic groups, and finitely generated groups discriminat…
This paper proves under certain conditions the existence of an algorithm, which detects relatively quasiconvex subgroups $H$ of relatively hyperbolic groups $(G,\mathbb{P})$. Additionally, this algorithm outputs an induced peripheral structure of $(G,\mathbb{P})$ on $H$.
We demonstrate the quasi-isometry invariance of two important geometric structures for relatively hyperbolic groups: the coned space and the cusped space. As applications, we produce a JSJ-decomposition for relatively hyperbolic groups which is invariant under quasi-isometries and outer automorphisms, as well as a related splitting of the quasi-isometry groups of relatively hyperbolic groups.
Dehn fillings for relatively hyperbolic groups generalize the topological Dehn surgery on a non-compact hyperbolic $3$-manifold such as a hyperbolic knot complement. We prove a rigidity result saying that if two non-elementary relatively hyperbolic groups without suitable splittings have sufficiently many isomorphic Dehn fillings, then these groups are in fact isomorphic. Our main application is a solution to the isomorphism problem in the class of non-elementary relatively hyperbolic groups with residually finite parabolic groups and with no suitable splittings.
We consider conditions on relatively hyperbolic groups about the non-existence of certain kinds of splittings, and show these properties persist in long Dehn fillings. We deduce that certain connectivity properties of the Bowditch boundary persist under long fillings.
We present an algorithm which given a presentation of a group $G$ without 2-torsion, a solution to the word problem with respect to this presentation, and an acylindricity constant $κ$, outputs a collection of tracks in an appropriate presentation complex. We give two applications: the first is an algorithm which decides if $G$ admits an essential free decomposition, the second is an algorithm which; if $G$ is relatively hyperbolic; decides if it admits an essential elementary splitting.
The paper is concerned with Kropholler's conjecture on splitting a finitely generated group over a codimension-1 subgroup. For a subgroup H of a group G, we define the notion of "finite splitting height" which generalises the finite-height property. By considering the dual CAT(0) cube complex associated to a codimension-1 subgroup H in G, we show that the Kropholler-Roller conjecture holds when H has finite splitting height in G. Examples of subgroups of finite height are stable subgroups or more generally strongly quasiconvex subgroups. Examples of subgroups of finite splitting height include…
Let $X$ be a proper CAT($0$) space and $G$ a cocompact group of isometries of $X$ without fixed point at infinity. We prove that if $\partial X$ contains an invariant subset of circumradius $π/2$, then $X$ contains a quasi-dense, closed convex subspace that splits as a product. Adding the assumption that the $G$-action on $X$ is properly discontinuous, we give more conditions that are equivalent to a product splitting. In particular, this occurs if $\partial X$ contains a proper nonempty, closed, invariant, $π$-convex set in $\partial X$; or if some nonempty closed, invariant set in $\partial …
We give an elementary criterion on a group G for the map from Aut(G) to Out(G) to split virtually. This criterion applies to many residually finite CAT(0) groups and hyperbolic groups, and in particular to all finitely generated Coxeter groups. As a consequence the outer automorphism group of any finitely generated Coxeter group is residually finite and virtually torsion-free.
Around subgroups of Artin groups: derived subgroups and acylindrical hyperbolicity in the even FC-case
Facultad de Economía y Empresa, Bilbao-Sarriko Universidad del País Vasco EHU/UPV(巴斯克大学经济与企业学院);Departamento de Matemt́icas Universidad de Zaragoza(萨拉戈萨大学数学系)
We show that, if $H$ is a random subgroup of a finitely generated free group $F_k$, only inner automorphisms of $F_k$ may leave $H$ invariant. A similar result holds for random subgroups of toral relatively hyperbolic groups, more generally of groups which are hyperbolic relative to slender subgroups. These results follow from non-existence of splittings over slender groups which are relative to a random group element. Random subgroups are defined using random walks or balls in a Cayley tree of $F_k$.
We construct `structure invariants' of a one-ended, finitely presented group that describe the way in which the factors of its JSJ decomposition over two-ended subgroups fit together. For groups satisfying two technical conditions, these invariants reduce the problem of quasi-isometry classification of such groups to the problem of relative quasi-isometry classification of the factors of their JSJ decompositions. The first condition is that their JSJ decompositions have two-ended cylinder stabilizers. The second is that every factor in their JSJ decompositions is either `relatively rigid' or `…
In this paper we consider the {\em conjugacy stability} property of subgroups and provide effective procedures to solve the problem in several classes of groups. In particular, we start with free groups, that is, we give an effective procedure to find out if a finitely generated subgroup of a free group is conjugacy stable. Then we further generalize this result to quasi-convex subgroups of torsion-free hyperbolic groups and finitely generated subgroups of limit groups.
We explore the combination theorem for a group G splitting as a graph of relatively hyperbolic groups. Using the fine graph approach to relative hyperbolicity, we find short proofs of the relative hyperbolicity of G under certain conditions. We then provide a criterion for the relative quasiconvexity of a subgroup H depending on the relative quasiconvexity of the intersection of H with the vertex groups of G. We give an application towards local relative quasiconvexity.
Handel and Mosher have proved that the free splitting complex FS for the free group is Gromov hyperbolic. This is a deep and much sought-after result, since it establishes FS as a good analogue of the curve complex for surfaces. We give a shorter alternative proof of this theorem, using surgery paths in Hatcher's sphere complex (another model for the free splitting complex), instead of Handel and Mosher's fold paths. As a byproduct, we get that surgery paths are unparameterized quasi-geodesics in the sphere complex. We explain how to deduce from our proof the hyperbolicity of some other comple…
We show that the Gromov boundary of the free product of two infinite hyperbolic groups is uniquely determined up to homeomorphism by the homeomorphism types of the boundaries of its factors. We generalize this result to graphs of hyperbolic groups over finite subgroups. Finally, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the Gromov boundaries of any two hyperbolic groups to be homeomorphic (in terms of the topology of the boundaries of factors in terminal splittings over finite subgroups).
We give upper bounds, linear in rank, to the topological dimensions of the Gromov boundaries of the intersection graph, the free factor graph and the cyclic splitting graph of a finitely generated free group.
The intersection pattern of the translates of the limit set of a quasi-convex subgroup of a hyperbolic group can be coded in a natural incidence graph, which suggests connections with the splittings of the ambient group. A similar incidence graph exists for any subgroup of a group. We show that the disconnectedness of this graph for codimension one subgroups leads to splittings. We also reprove some results of Peter Kropholler on splittings of groups over malnormal subgroups and variants of them.
Given a locally constant linear cocycle over a subshift of finite type, we show that the existence of a uniform gap between the i-th and (i+1)-th Lyapunov exponents for all invariant measures implies the existence of a dominated splitting of index i. We establish a similar result for sofic subshifts coming from word hyperbolic groups, in relation with Anosov representations of such groups. We discuss the case of finitely generated semigroups, and propose a notion of Anosov representation in this setting.
We show that the aspherical manifolds produced via the relative strict hyperbolization of polyhedra enjoy many group-theoretic and topological properties of open finite volume negatively pinched manifolds, including relative hyperbolicity, nonvanishing of simplicial volume, co-Hopf property, finiteness of outer automorphism group, absence of splitting over elementary subgroups, and acylindricity. In fact, some of these properties hold for any compact aspherical manifold with incompressible aspherical boundary components, provided the fundamental group is hyperbolic relative to fundamental grou…
We give a short proof of the following theorem of Sang-hyun Kim: if $A(Γ)$ is a right-angled Artin group with defining graph $Γ$, then $A(Γ)$ contains a hyperbolic surface subgroup if $Γ$ contains an induced subgraph $\bar{C}_n$ for some $n \geq 5$, where $\bar{C}_n$ denotes the complement graph of an $n$-cycle. Furthermore, we give a new proof of Kim's co-contraction theorem.
Let T be a tree with an action of a finitely generated group G. Given a suitable equivalence relation on the set of edge stabilizers of T (such as commensurability, co-elementarity in a relatively hyperbolic group, or commutation in a commutative transitive group), we define a tree of cylinders T_c. This tree only depends on the deformation space of T; in particular, it is invariant under automorphisms of G if T is a JSJ splitting. We thus obtain Out(G)-invariant cyclic or abelian JSJ splittings. Furthermore, T_c has very strong compatibility properties (two trees are compatible if they have a…
When two free factors A and B of a free group F_n are in "general position" we define the projection of B to the splitting complex (alternatively, the complex of free factors) of A. We show that the projections satisfy properties analogous to subsurface projections introduced by Masur and Minsky. We use the subfactor projections to construct an action of Out(F_n) on a finite product of hyperbolic spaces where every automorphism with exponential growth acts with positive translation length. We also prove a version of the Bounded geodesic image theorem. In the appendix, we give a sketch of the p…
We show that any group that is hyperbolic relative to virtually nilpotent subgroups, and does not admit peripheral splittings, contains a quasi-isometrically embedded copy of the hyperbolic plane. In natural situations, the specific embeddings we find remain quasi-isometric embeddings when composed with the inclusion map from the Cayley graph to the coned-off graph, as well as when composed with the quotient map to "almost every" peripheral (Dehn) filling. We apply our theorem to study the same question for fundamental groups of 3-manifolds. The key idea is to study quantitative geometric prop…