Large scale properties of groups; growth functions; Dehn functions; small cancellation properties; hyperbolicity and CAT(0); actions and representations; combinatorial group theory; presentations
12
votes
3answers
541 views
Residual finiteness: why do we care?
Residually finite groups have been studied for a long time. However, I am struggling to work out why we care, or perhaps, why they continue to be of interest. Let me explain.
Magnus, in his 1968 ...
6
votes
0answers
142 views
Polynomial growth without Gromov's theorem
It is a consequence of the theorem of M. Gromov on groups with polynomial growth and a result of P. Pansu(*) that if a finitely generated group $\Gamma = \langle S\rangle,\, S=S^{-1}$ satisfies ...
12
votes
0answers
247 views
Linear groups which don't contain products of free groups
Let $G \subset GL(n, \Bbb Z)$ be a f.g. linear group. The Tits alternative says that $G$ is either virtually solvable (i.e. has a solvable subgroup of finite index), or contains a free group $F_2$. ...
1
vote
0answers
90 views
Virtually abelian centralizers
This is a sort of a follow-up question to Limits of conjugated subgroups (though it might not seem at first glance to have much to do with it.)
Anyway, I'm wondering what sort of groups have the ...
8
votes
1answer
153 views
Is the Cayley graph of Thompson's group isolated in the space of vertex-transitive graphs?
Consider Thompson's group (the one commonly referred to as $T$), which is finitely presentable. Consider the Cayley graph, but then forget the coloring and direction on edges. So now we just have an ...
7
votes
0answers
60 views
Approximation of the effective resistance on Cayley graph
Let $\Gamma$ be a finitely generated group, and denote by $G$ the Cayley graph of $\Gamma$. Denote by $d_R$ the resistance distance metric on this graph. The resistance distance metric between the ...
4
votes
0answers
81 views
Is a finitely generated subgroup of a free profinite group virtually a retract?
Let $F$ be a nonabelian finitely generated free profinite group, and let $H \leq F$ be a finitely generated closed subgroup. Must there be some open subgroup $H \leq U \leq F$, and a closed normal ...
3
votes
0answers
65 views
Geometric automorphism of free group respect to nonorientable suface
An outer automorphism $[ϕ]\in Out(F_n)$ is geometric if it is induced by a surface homeomorphism h:M→M, where M is a compact surface with nonempty boundary. I am wondering is it enough we only ...
3
votes
1answer
177 views
Special linear groups over function fields
Let $p$ be a prime number, and let $q$ be a finite power of $p$. Denote by $F_q$ the unique field with $q$ elements.
What is known about the structure and properties of $\mathrm{SL}_2(F_q[t])$ as ...
3
votes
2answers
183 views
Limits of conjugated subgroups
I've recently encountered the following problem. Given a group $G$, a subgroup $H$ and a sequence $g_n\in G$, let $$ \liminf_{j\to\infty}H^{g_j} :=\bigcup_{n\ge 1} \bigcap_{j\ge n} H^{g_j}.$$ Here $$ ...
1
vote
1answer
85 views
Convex subcomplexes of CAT(0) cubical complexes
Is the following statement true? If so, can anyone provide a reference?
Let $X$ be a CAT(0) cubical complex, and let $Y$ be a connected
subcomplex of $X$. Then the following are equivalent:
...
11
votes
1answer
334 views
Is there a faithful transitive locally finite action of the modular group?
Is there a faithful transitive action of $G = \mathrm{PSL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ on $\mathbb{Z}$ such that orbits under each $g \in G$ are finite?
1
vote
0answers
126 views
Zariski dense subgroups and conjugates
Let $H \leq \mathrm{SL}_3(\mathbb{Z})$ be a finitely generated subgroup which is not Zariski dense, and let $g \in \mathrm{SL}_3(\mathbb{Z})$. Must there be some $a \in \mathrm{SL}_3(\mathbb{Z})$ such ...
1
vote
0answers
73 views
Are lattices in the special real linear group subgroup seperable?
Let $G \leq SL_2(\mathbb{R})$ be a lattice, let $H \leq G$ be a finitely generated subgroup of infinite index, and let $n \in \mathbb{N}$. Must there be some $H \leq U \leq G$ such that $n \leq [G : ...
2
votes
2answers
206 views
F.g group with infinite ends not Q.I to a free group
Is there any easy example of a finitely generated group with a Cantor set of ends that is not quasi-isometric to a finitely generated free group?
Thanks in advance.
1
vote
0answers
92 views
Can a profinite completion be free pro-p?
Is there a prime number $p$ and a finitely generated residually finite group whose profinite completion is a free pro-$p$ group on a nonempty finite set?
Thanks to YCor we see that we cannot take the ...
3
votes
1answer
189 views
Are there quasiconvex normal subgroups?
Let $G$ by a hyperbolic group, and let $H \lhd G$ be a normal quasiconvex subgroup. Is it possible that $|H| = [G : H] = \infty$ ?
2
votes
0answers
155 views
Exotic actions of hyperbolic groups
Let $G$ be a hyperbolic group acting faithfully on $\mathbb{Z}$ such that:
The action is highly transitive - it is $k$-transitive for each $k \in \mathbb{N}$.
For every quasiconvex subgroup $H \leq ...
5
votes
1answer
202 views
A hyperbolic group with a small profinite completion
Is there a finitely generated non-elementary word hyperbolic group the profinite completion of which is known (or conjectured) to be rather restricted, that is: abelian, pro-$p$, virtually ...
6
votes
2answers
292 views
Is residual finiteness a property of “many” finitely presented groups?
Is there a reasonable random model for selecting a finitely presented group $G$ such that with positive probablity (or even with probability almost $1$) some of the following properties hold:
$G$ is ...
6
votes
1answer
143 views
Is there a highly transitive action of a finitely generated torsion simple group?
Is there a highly transitive action of a finitely generated torsion simple group $G$ on $\mathbb{Z}$ ?
Highly transitive means $k$-transitive for each $k \in \mathbb{N}$, that is: for every two ...
4
votes
1answer
209 views
Characterizing residually amenable groups
Let $G$ be a finitely generated group. The amenability of $G$ is equivalent to the existence of a certain "weak measure" on $G$. Is there such a characterization for residually amenable groups as ...
5
votes
0answers
89 views
Centralizers in virtually special groups
Let $G$ be a virtually compact special group, in the terminology of Haglund and Wise (i.e., $G$ has a finite index subgroup $H$ which is isomorphic to the fundamental group of some compact special ...
3
votes
0answers
143 views
Growth of the number of generators in hyperbolic groups
Let $G$ be an infinite hyperbolic group, and let us further assume that it is residually finite (or even LERF/GFERF) so that we have plenty of subgroups of finite index.
I would like to know if one ...
2
votes
1answer
128 views
Measuring products of finitely generated subgroups of free groups
Let $F$ be a finitely generated free group, $H_1, \dots, H_n$ finitely generated subgroups of infinite index in $F$, and $\epsilon > 0$. Must there be an epimorphism to a finite group $\phi \colon ...
8
votes
2answers
291 views
Can a positive measure subset of a free group be nowhere dense?
Let $F$ be a finitely generated free group and let $S \subseteq F$ be a subset for which there is some $\epsilon > 0$ such that for any epimorphism to a finite group $\phi \colon F \to G$ we have ...
1
vote
0answers
92 views
Free abelian subgroups and distorsion
I realized that I know groups with distorted cyclic subgroups and groups all of whose free abelian subgroups are undistorted, but nothing between. Maybe it is a naive question, but:
Does there ...
5
votes
1answer
204 views
Is there a left orderable profinite group?
Is there a profinite group $G$ with a binary transitive relation $<$ such that for any different $x,y \in G$ either $x < y$ or $y < x$ and such that for any $x,y,z \in G$ we have that $x < ...
6
votes
1answer
246 views
Paper by I. N. Sanov, Solution of the Burnside problem for exponent 4
I have searched extensively online and for copies of printed journals containing the paper which details Sanov's solution to the Burnside Problem for exponent 4, which is widely cited in many papers ...
1
vote
0answers
97 views
How to find a invariant surface of a diffeomorphism
Recently, I read a paper about discrete Schrödinger operator. There is a map related to trace map from $C^3$ to $C^3$ as follows:
$$T(x,y,z)=(y,z,yz-x).$$
We can calculated that $T$ has the folliwng ...
7
votes
2answers
218 views
Is the free abstract group residually of rank d > 2?
Let $d \geq 2$ be an integer, and let $\mathcal{F}_d$ be the family of finite groups such that $G \in \mathcal{F}_d$ if and only if every subgroup of $G$ can be generated by at most $d$ elements.
Is ...
0
votes
1answer
96 views
Example of a polycyclic group which is not of polynomial growth? [closed]
The title already says everything: What is an example of a polycyclic group $G$ which is not of polynomial growth (equivalently, by Gromov's theorem, which is not virtually nilpotent)?
8
votes
1answer
211 views
amenable + without $BS(m,n)$+finite $K(G,1)$implies virtually cyclic?
I heard from someone that the following problem is an open question.
(Open Problem 1)For a countable discrete group $G$, suppose it does not contain any Baumslag-Solitar subgroups $BS(m,n):=\langle ...
1
vote
1answer
320 views
Word metrics and finite index subgroups
Suppose that we are given some finitely generated group $ G $ and some finite index subgroup of it $ H $. Given a finite generating symmetric generating set $ S \subset G $, we can define the word ...
2
votes
1answer
107 views
Open Books $( \Sigma, \Phi) $ living in Lefschetz Fibrations over the disk $D^2$
I have a question about open books and Lefschetz fibrations over the 2-disk $D^2$. Please let me set it up first, before going on.
Setup:
Say we have a Lefschetz fibration $f: W^4 \rightarrow D^2 $ ...
14
votes
3answers
475 views
Failure of Mostow rigidity in dim. 2
I am trying to understand why Mostow rigidity fails in dimension 2. More concretely, I have the following question:
(1) What is an example of a quasiisometry $f$ of the hyperbolic plane $\mathbb H^2$ ...
10
votes
1answer
184 views
Cantor-Bernstein for quasi-isometric embeddings?
Suppose that two finitely generated groups quasi-isometrically embed into each other. Does it follow that the two groups are quasi-isometric? Recall that a quasi-isometry is a quasi-isometric ...
5
votes
2answers
252 views
Which groups are LERF?
A finitely generated group $G$ is called LERF if every finitely generated $H \leq G$ is closed in the profinite topology on $G$ (equivalently, there is a family of finite index subgroups of $G$ ...
2
votes
0answers
132 views
Marshall Hall's theorem for surface groups [closed]
Let $\Gamma_g$ be a surface group of genus $g \geq 2$, that is we have a presentation: $$\Gamma_g = \langle x_1,y_1 \dots, x_g,y_g \vert \prod_{i = 1}^g [x_i,y_i] = 1\rangle$$
Let $H \leq \Gamma_g$ ...
4
votes
0answers
85 views
Actions of amenable groups on graphs with uncountably many ends
Let $G$ be a finitely generated amenable group acting transitively on an amenable Schreier graph $S$. Is it possible for $S$ to have uncountably many ends? An amenable graph with uncountably many ends ...
6
votes
1answer
140 views
Is the following module over a group ring necessarily infinitely generated?
Suppose $\Gamma$ is a (finitely presented, but this is probably irrelevant) group, and $M$ is a finitely generated (EDIT: finitely presented) module over $\mathbb{Q}\Gamma$ which is ...
3
votes
1answer
156 views
δ-hyperbolic space
It is known that A δ-hyperbolic space is a geodesic metric space in which every geodesic triangle is δ-thin. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%94-hyperbolic_space)
The question is that if we remove ...
10
votes
1answer
369 views
Holomorphic cusp forms and cohomology of GL(2,Z)
Let $V_{k}$ denote the complex representation of $\mathrm{GL}(2)$ given by $\mathrm{Sym}^k(V)$, where $V$ is the defining 2-dimensional representation. Assume that $k$ is even. I would like to compute ...
6
votes
0answers
107 views
CAT(0) groups that does not act on CAT(0) cubical complex
CAT(0) groups are groups that act on a CAT(0) space properly and cocompactly. If a group acts on a CAT(0) cubical complex properly and cocompactly, then of course it is a CAT(0) Group. I am wondering ...
0
votes
0answers
54 views
Bases of surface groups with length restrictions
This question asks for a generalization of Bases of surface groups following the notation and definitions given therein.
Let $\Gamma_g$ be a surface group of genus $g \geq 2$, $B$ a surface basis of ...
4
votes
1answer
122 views
Ends of quotients of Coxeter Groups
Let C(p,q) be the Coxeter group:
$C(p,q):= \langle a,b,c\hspace{1mm}|\hspace{1mm} a^2,b^2,c^2,(ac)^2,(ab)^p, (bc)^q \rangle$
for integers $p,q$ s.t. $\frac{1}{p}+\frac{1}{q}<\frac{1}{2}$. This ...
13
votes
2answers
332 views
Minimal number of generators for $GL(n,\mathbb{Z})$
$\DeclareMathOperator{\gl}{GL}\DeclareMathOperator{\sl}{SL}$From de la Harpe's book "Topics in Geometric Group Theory" I learnt that $\gl(n,\mathbb{Z})$ is generated by the matrices $$s_1 = ...
4
votes
2answers
209 views
A Karrass-Solitar theorem for surface groups
Let $\Gamma_g$ be a surface group of genus $g \geq 2$. That is, there is a presentation $$\Gamma_g = \langle x_1, y_1, \dots, x_g, y_g \vert \prod_{i = 1}^{g}[x_i,y_i] = 1\rangle$$
Is there a ...
5
votes
1answer
186 views
Bases of surface groups
Let $\Gamma_g$ be a surface group of genus $g \geq 2$. A $2g$-tuple $(x_1,y_1, \dots,x_g,y_g) \in \Gamma_g^{2g}$ will be called a Surface Basis if we have the presentation $$\Gamma_g = \langle x_1, ...
1
vote
0answers
139 views
Accessible subgroups of free groups
Let $F$ be a nonabelian free finitely generated group, and $F = G_0 \rhd G_1 \rhd G_2 \dots$ a strictly descending subnormal chain of subgroups ($G_n \lhd G_{n-1}$ for each $n \in \mathbb{N}$) each ...
